NGHS Says Anthem Insurance Can Be Used at NGPG in 2019

Patients who get their healthcare from the Northeast Georgia Physicians Group locations, including  Lavonia and Toccoa, have until the end of the year to choose another health insurance company if they want to stay with Northeast Georgia Health Systems.

Northeast Georgia Health Systems said this week it will continue to treat patients with Anthem insurance as though they are in-network through the end of the year, but it is encouraging people to choose a new insurance provider when open enrollment begins next month.

Steve McNeilly, vice president of managed care, told WNEG this week the healthcare system is committed to treating patients as though they are in-network until December 31, so patients have time to choose another insurance carrier during open enrollment.

Earlier this month, Northeast Georgia Health System announced they were forced out of the Anthem network after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract.

McNeilly told WNEG Anthem stopped communicating with the healthcare system two days before forcing them out of their network.

McNeilly said the healthcare system has requested a modest, single-digit rate increase for payments received from Anthem, an increase that is in line with what other major insurance companies have agreed to, but he said Anthem continues to demand several things that would cost patients money and limit access to health care.

Among the Anthem demands, according to McNeilly is the ability to change their contract at any time and refusing to add any future locations Northeast Georgia Healthcare might establish without a separate negotiation.

McNeilly pointed out that changing their contract anytime would allow Anthem to tell patients where they could or could not go for healthcare, essentially taking that decision out of the hands of the patient and their doctors.

Northeast Georgia Healthcare facilities currently out of network with Anthem include all Northeast Georgia Medical Center hospitals; all Rehabilitation Institute, Imaging Center, and Cancer Center locations. Also, included are Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center, New Horizons Limestone, and Lanier Park; Sleep Disorders Center; Laurelwood; and all Urgent Care locations;

Additionally, all locations of The Heart Center of NGMC; and most Northeast Georgia Physicians Group locations, including the ones in Lavonia and in Toccoa.

Patients with Anthem insurance can call NGHS’s Patient Access Service Center at 770-219-7678 to get a personalized estimate of hospital charges for upcoming surgeries or procedures.

Patients who have questions about charges for physician office visits should call their physician’s office for more information.

Patients can also visit www.nghs.com/anthem for updates, answers to many frequently asked questions and more.

A complete list of in-network insurance plans is available at www.nghs.com/insurance.