Sutter Health Announces Health Plan Contract Status for 2002 (August 14, 2001)
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As many Northern California businesses prepare for annual health plan open enrollment sessions for their employees, the Sonoma County Sutter Health affiliates, Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa (SMCSR), Sutter Warrack Hospital (SWH) and Sutter Medical Group of the Redwoods (SMGR), today issued a status report on contracts with HMOs and health plans for 2002.
SMCSR, SWH and the physicians aligned with SMGR have existing contracts in place for 2002 with the following major health plans:- Aetna
- Blue Cross
- Blue Shield
- Cigna
- Health Plan of the Redwoods
- Pacificare
In addition, Sutter has agreements with major preferred provider organizations and smaller health plans.
Sutter Health has not reached a contract with Health Net for 2002. Negotiations with Health Net (NYSE:HNT) are ongoing, and Sutter officials expressed hope that an agreement can be reached before the current contract expires December 31, 2001.
"We know how difficult it can be for consumers when there are sudden changes in health plan provider networks," said Kent B. Sherwood, Chief Executive Office of Sutter Medical Center, Sutter Warrack Hospital and Sutter Medical Group of the Redwoods. "We believe people should know early on before they've signed up for health coverage about which HMOs and health plans include us and which ones don't."
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