Blue Cross Accused Of Deceptive Practices
The scheme follows a well established pattern, according to the hospital, which quit the Blue Cross network in 2008, citing low payback rates that were "onerous and one-sided in favor of Blue Cross."
The hospital is still required by law to treat any Blue Cross patient brought to its emergency room with life-threatening injuries. After the patient is stabilized the hospital must call Blue Cross to ask if it wants the patient transferred to an in-network hospital.
In nearly every instance, the hospital says, Blue Cross refused to transfer the patient to an in-network hospital, then underpaid the Methodist Hospital for care, in wildly fluctuating amounts, sticking the hospital and the patient with an unfair financial burden.