APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – A meeting on Thursday between ThedaCare health system and Network Health Plan failed to achieve a new contract.
The Appleton-based ThedaCare announced plans late last year to stop taking part in Network Health, which is based in Menasha. Despite that, ThedaCare officials were hopeful that the contract between the two sides could be extended until the end of 2016.
According to a statement from ThedaCare Friday, Network Health officials were “non-committal” about extending the contract through the end of the year.
Here is the statement from ThedaCare:
“ThedaCare has had an offer on the table for more than a year to extend our contract with Network Health Plan. We urged Network Health Plan to meet earlier on this matter, but they requested a week’s delay. Throughout, we negotiated in good faith, desiring to extend within the existing terms of the contract.
Additionally, based on public and private comments Network Health Plan recently made about accepting ThedaCare’s offer, there was reason to believe we would be announcing an extension – or at the very least, a definitive no. Instead, the communities we serve are facing uncertainty. Unlike ThedaCare, which is locally owned and makes decisions locally, ownership of Network Health Plan has moved outside northeast Wisconsin, even as far as St. Louis. In this situation, Network Health Plan has granted contract extensions to three organizations, but not to other local employers and Medicare Advantage members. The reasons for this are puzzling. We are exploring options that will allow community members to keep the doctors they know and trust. We are working with other payers who meet our expectations for quality and service. As part of the fabric of the communities we serve, we are committed to being forthright and transparent with you throughout the negotiation process.”
Network Health representatives had a different take, saying they’re still in discussions with ThedaCare and are working to come to an agreement as quickly as possible.
“As one can imagine, a negotiation of this nature takes time, is not simple or to be taken lightly and because of that we don’t want to cause unnecessary concern for our members before there is a final outcome to share,” the statement read.
ThedaCare owns hospitals, clinics and other health facilities in the Fox Valley, including Appleton Medical Center and Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah.
