The CEO of Baltimore-based CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield said an impasse with Annapolis, Md.-based Anne Arundel Medical Center revolves around a $1 million rate reduction on $200 million in annual reimbursement from the payer, Capital Gazette reports.
CareFirst CEO and President Chet Burrell said, for the hospital's part, AAMC is requesting $13 million in professional fees from the payer.
However, AAMC CEO and President Victoria Bayless called the CareFirst estimates "extremely misleading."
"We have requested a fraction of the amount," Ms. Bayless told Capital Gazette. She did not provide additional figures, declining to "go back and forth and play it out in the open market."
The stalemate concerns reimbursements for radiology services and performance-based bonuses CareFirst pays physicians, Mr. Burrell said.
Following months of stalled negotiations, AAMC said Monday it would terminate its contract with CareFirst if the parties failed to reach a resolution by Sept. 30. CareFirst members affected by the change would lose in-network access to AAMC Jan. 1, 2018, and Anne Arundel Medical Group practices and other facilities Oct. 1, 2017.