Cigna Healthcare is contemplating the removal of HCA Healthcare from its insurance plans, potentially affecting numerous Metro Nashville and state employees. After September 30, HCA’s Tennessee and Kentucky hospitals may no longer be in Cigna’s network, leading to possible coverage gaps and increased out-of-network costs for members. Nashville Mayor John Cooper is urging both companies to resolve their contract dispute swiftly, as this situation could impact tens of thousands of city employees, retirees, teachers, and government workers in Tennessee.
Cigna Healthcare is considering the removal of HCA Healthcare from its list of approved healthcare providers within its insurance plans. This potential change could have significant implications for numerous Metro Nashville and state employees.
Cigna Healthcare has expressed its intention to discontinue HCA Healthcare as an in-network provider for its insurance plans. After September 30, hospitals in Tennessee and Kentucky affiliated with HCA Healthcare may no longer be part of Cigna Healthcare’s network.
Cigna Healthcare currently offers health insurance coverage to a substantial number of Metropolitan Nashville employees, and within Middle Tennessee, there are six HCA TriStar healthcare facilities.
HCA Healthcare issued a statement, explaining, “If a resolution is not reached by September 30, 2023, our facilities will no longer be affiliated with Cigna Healthcare. As a Cigna Healthcare member, this could mean that you may not have coverage for non-emergency medical services at our facilities or may incur higher out-of-network costs for such services.”
Nashville’s Mayor, John Cooper, expressed his surprise at the potential disruption in healthcare services caused by a contract dispute between Cigna Healthcare and HCA Healthcare. He has personally reached out to both companies, urging them to resolve their differences swiftly. Mayor Cooper emphasized the importance of ensuring that city employees, teachers, and residents do not face interruptions in their healthcare services and urged the two parties to resolve urgently.
If an agreement is not reached, this situation will impact a considerable number of city employees, retirees, teachers, and government workers across Tennessee, according to the Mayor’s office. Mayor Cooper remained hopeful that HCA and Cigna would find common ground during ongoing negotiations. He assured the community that he had briefed Mayor-elect Freddie O’Connell on the situation, and that efforts to find a solution would continue during the transition from his administration to the new mayor’s leadership.
