We are extremely disappointed and surprised that Network Health Plan leaders were non-committal in our meeting Thursday regarding a contract extension through Dec. 31, 2016. ThedaCare has had an offer on the table for more than a year to extend our contract with Network Health Plan. We urged Network Health Plan to meet earlier on this matter, but they requested a week’s delay. Throughout, we negotiated in good faith, desiring to extend within the existing terms of the contract.
Additionally, based on public and private comments Network Health Plan recently made about accepting ThedaCare’s offer, there was reason to believe we would be announcing an extension – or at the very least, a definitive no. Instead, the communities we serve are facing uncertainty.
Unlike ThedaCare, which is locally owned and makes decisions locally, ownership of Network Health Plan has moved outside northeast Wisconsin, even as far as St. Louis. In this situation, Network Health Plan has granted contract extensions to three organizations, but not to other local employers and Medicare Advantage members. The reasons for this are puzzling.
We are exploring options that will allow community members to keep the doctors they know and trust. We are working with other payers who meet our expectations for quality and service. As part of the fabric of the communities we serve, we are committed to being forthright and transparent with you throughout the negotiation process.
For more than 100 years, ThedaCare™ has been committed to finding a better way to deliver serious and complex healthcare to patients throughout Northeast Wisconsin. The organization serves over 200,000 patients annually and employs more than 6,800 healthcare professionals throughout the region. ThedaCare has seven hospitals located in Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano, New London and Wild Rose as well as 35 clinics in 14 counties. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving our specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a non-profit healthcare organization with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs as well as a foundation dedicated to community service. Construction of ThedaCare Regional Cancer Center in Appleton is underway. For more information, visit www.thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on Facebook and Twitter.
