Our goal is to keep the cost of coverage affordable for our members. Our group customers’ and members’ need for affordability became more urgent during the pandemic and as inflation rose. To deliver the cost savings our customers need, we’ll be negotiating new contracts — or ending contracts — with some providers who are being paid or are requesting higher-than-average rates.

We have not reached an agreement with TeamHealth, so their providers are out of network effective Sept. 30, 2022. We know network changes can be frustrating for our members, so we make them only when necessary. Thankfully, however, this issue should have no impact on our members.

We’re focusing these efforts on providers who work at but aren’t employed directly by in-network hospitals. Due to the provisions outlined in the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), health care patients are now legally protected against balance billing or surprise bills from out-of-network providers. So even if a member gets care from an out-of-network provider practicing at an in-network facility, the member’s portion of the cost won’t change. The law protects our members from getting unexpected bills, even if these providers end up leaving our networks.

Our negotiation concerns only how much BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee pays TeamHealth.

As we have not reached an agreement with them, TeamHealth providers have left Blue Network P^SM and Blue Network S^SM, effective Sept. 30, 2022.

Thankfully, this issue should not impact you at all. Your cost for care will remain the same.

No. You’re never required to give up your protections from this kind of extra charge, which is called “balance billing.” Because of the provisions outlined in the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), health care patients are now legally protected against balance billing from out-of-network providers.

As we have not reached an agreement with TeamHealth, the change went into effect Sept. 30, 2022.

Yes. Even if these providers leave our network, you won’t pay more for your care.

TeamHealth providers offer emergency medicine and hospitalist care.

These providers serve the following health care facilities:

West Tennessee

• Baptist Memorial Hospital Huntingdon
• Baptist Memorial Hospital Memphis
• Baptist Memorial Hospital Tipton
• Baptist Memorial Hospital Union City
• Baptist Memorial Restorative Care Hospital
• Spence and Becky Wilson Baptist Children’s Hospital
• Wayne Medical Center

Middle Tennessee

• Cumberland Medical Center
• Hillside Hospital
• Livingston Regional Hospital
• Marshall Medical Center
• Maury Regional Medical Center
• Metropolitan Nashville General Hospital
• Riverview Regional Medical Center
• Southern Tennessee Medical Center
• Southern Tennessee Regional Health System Lawrenceburg

East Tennessee

• Bristol Regional Medical Center
• Claiborne Medical Center
• East Tennessee Children’s Hospital
• Erlanger Medical Center Children’s
• Fort Loudoun Medical Center
• Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center
• Holston Valley Medical Center
• Johnson City Medical Center Hospital
• LeConte Medical Center
• Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge
• Morristown Hamblen Hospital Association Inc.
• Parkwest Medical Center
• Rhea Medical Center
• Roane Medical Center
• Starr Regional Medical Center
• Sycamore Shoals Hospital
• Tennova Healthcare LaFollette Medical Center
• University of Tennessee Medical Center

Other states

• Baptist Memorial Hospital Crittenden Inc. (West Memphis, AR)
• Baptist Memorial Hospital DeSoto (DeSoto, MS)
• Jackson Purchase Medical Center (Mayfield, KY)

As we have not reached an agreement with TeamHealth, this change took place Sept. 30, 2022.

This change affects TeamHealth and the health care facilities where it provides emergency medicine and hospitalist care. For reference on the facilities that this impacts, please see this list.

TeamHealth is a valued partner in caring for our members, and we want to continue this relationship. As we have been unable to reach an agreement with them, as of Sept. 1, 2022, they are out of network. We will continue to have discussions and work toward a resolution for them to rejoin our networks. It is our hope that going forward, our in-network hospitals will encourage or even require their contracted physicians to join them in BlueCross networks, which are designed to fairly reimburse providers while keeping coverage affordable for our members.

If BlueCross members have a true emergency, they should go to the closest facility of their choice, including any facility served by these providers.

This change will not impact costs for members. Because of the provisions outlined in the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), health care patients are now legally protected against balance, or surprise, bills from out-of-network providers. So even if a member gets care from an out-of-network provider practicing at an in-network facility, the member’s portion of the cost won’t change. This includes care for patients who are hospitalized with scheduled procedures that would use TeamHealth’s services, and whose stays extend beyond Sept. 30, 2022.