Laura Law doesn’t know what she will do.
The Mission Hospital Labor and Delivery Nurse expects almost $ 6,000 from unexpectedly unexpected medical expenses after taking two of the three children as a multi -standard primary appointment with MAHEC (Mountain Area Health Education Center) this year.
She thought that she was included in the health insurance held through AETNA Plan of Mission Health owned by HCA Healthcare.
However, on January 1, MAHEC’s primary care service was withdrawn from the Mission Health Insurance Plan, which was not announced for more than three months and potentially influenced thousands of employees.
The law said, “I’m so disappointed.” “As a nurse, the family should take care of it. I would have accepted it even if there was communication.”
The law asked how her family would solve the unexpected costs. “I don’t really know, but I think I should make a plan to pay a $ 6,000 bill that is not allowed.”
MAHEC claims that Mission Health is responsible for conveying changes to employees. The mission will not mention the employees why they did not talk about change. I did not answer repeated questions about how many employees affect the director. Not all mission health employees have a company’s AETNA plan.
Mission Health is the largest employer in Buncombe County and is one of the largest employers in the western North Carolina, and more than 6,000 people work at Asheville’s Mission Hospital according to data from North Carolina.
The CEO said that the Mahec exit of the group caused a change.
According to Dr. William Hathaway, the Mahec CEO, the change of insurance contracts took place on the first day of this year.
Hathaway said, “From January 1, 2025, Mahec’s primary care practice, including internal medicine and family medicine, is under the level of other benefits for employees dealing with Mission Health/HCA EMPLOYE HEALTH Plan. Ashville Watch Dog. “But the professional practices of Mahec, including psychiatric, obstetrics and gynecology, endocrine and dentists, remain at the previous benefit level.”
Hathaway is Mahec Mission Health Partner (MHP) Liability Treatment Institution. an Ako As a group of doctors, hospitals and other medical service providers, we gather together to provide high -quality treatment adjusted to patients with medicare.
“Mahec decided to end MHP to participate in the new Federal Initiative. Basic treatment (MCP) -The 10-year Medicare Demo Project, designed to strengthen the primary care through the value-based payment model, Hathaway said.
Hathaway said Mahec could not be part of MHP and MCP.
However, according to the Medicare & Medicaid Service Center, MCP It ends early On December 31, 2025, “We better fit the court order of the CMS Innovation Center and protect the taxpayer.” Watch Dock I found Hathaway’s opinion on Thursday afternoon, but he did not respond.
Nancy Lindell, a spokesman for Mission Health, also confirmed MAHEC’s departure from MAHEC, but said, “You should ask Mahec about the communications related to the decision.
“MAHEC is no longer a participant of Mission Health Partners, but maintains a network with AETNA, an insurance company of Mission Health staff. Insurance benefits can be different from part of the mission health partner.”
In response to the statement of the mission, he pointed out that Hathaway was a member of MHP and had a separate or full coverage in the network.
“Mission Health/HCA is associated with the network for employees to encourage it to be part of the MHP, and I use ‘in the network’ to deal with ‘in the network’ to the highest level. The exception that can be part of the MHP is an exception but our special, but our special. Practices are what we ask for primary treatment.
Lindell said that Mission cherished the relationship with Mahec and said, “We will welcome the opportunity to join the Mission Health Partners again.”
Hathaway had a similar invitation to the mission.
“MAHEC assessed Mission Health/HCA partnership and welcomed the opportunity to return to the previous guarantee level to continue to provide services to Mission Health/HCA employees with high -quality adjusted primary care.”
Before January 1, we’re not sure how much communication about the mission and Mahe’s movement.
When the law learned of the change, she called Mahec’s claim, Mission Health’s Human Resources and AETNA.
The law said to her by the MahEC bill. “And it is not prevented, and we call everyone calls to HCA HR to complain and make sure they will change this.”
A law called HCA HR.
The law said, “They are like ‘no, preventive treatment’.” “And I had to do it, but not.”
The law said by HCA HR. “‘We didn’t hear anything about this.’
AETNA confirmed that prevention treatment was not dealt with.
Hannah Drummond, a registered nurse of Mission and a surprise bill for $ 847, contacted Scott Rogers, a director of HCA’s labor and employee relations, and asked for changes.
In response to the request for communication between the hospital and the Mahec on the departure of MHP, Rogers said, “I do not know the communication between Mahec and the hospital, according to the notice or notice of the hospital to inform the staff.
‘Super, Super individual’
Lindell did not answer questions about why employees did not get information about movement when they were implemented on January 1. After employees began to receive a surprise bill and found out that they were not guaranteed, Mission Hospital CEO Greg Lowe sent an email on April 10.
“Ultimately, the patient is responsible for contacting the beneficiary if he is not sure what the benefits are or how the claims will be handled when each renewal year begins.”
Hathaway asked what effort he tried to make this change to patients affected by Mahec.
“In relation to the efforts to announce these benefits to mission employees, this is the responsibility for employers,” he said. “(S) OME mission staff who promised in Mahec did not know the change of benefits. As we learned it, we tried to identify and contact other mission staff before we had been planned in Mahec, so identifying such patients is doing everything that can do everything that can inform all of these patients.
Just before she left, Jade Hoffman, a registered nurse of Mission’s Surgical ICU, received a $ 2,495 bill on February 18 after the MAHEC procedure guaranteed before shift in MAHEC.
Hoffman didn’t know what happened. She later learned from Mission Nurses United email.
Mission Hospital Progressive Care Unit Nurse Chris Letts and his wife Michelle are covered by Mission Health Insurance of Letts. They learned about the change of nurse group chat on April 9.
“Mahec is both a wife and I go for primary care, spirit, and wife for obgar,” saidts said. “I made an appointment at Mahec yesterday. I had to keep it because I didn’t have any other options.”
Letts are in the middle of a medical situation that requires continuous treatment. “You must be able to access the drug,” they said. “I can’t go anywhere else. Mahec is an option and intentionally managed because I was intentionally cared for.”
First and prevention treatment is essential for lets that have been diagnosed with three -stage breast cancer in 2020.
“It is a very personal thing that I can’t access preventive treatment for me.
On Thursday, letts saw the first surprise of this year for MAHEC Services, which Michelle received on March 10.
The claim notice is, “Periodic treatment is not covered by the plan.
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