St. Luke’s Health has reached an agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) on a new contract that will ensure coverage for 65,000 BCBSTX patients who choose to receive their health care at the hospitals in the St. Luke’s Health network.
The new agreement is effective January 8, 2021. The following is a statement about the agreement from T. Douglas Lawson, CEO of St. Luke’s Health:
“This new contract is an affirmation of how important the choice to receive the accessible, value-driven medical care that we provide at St. Luke’s Health is to the health of our community. The support St. Luke’s Health received from patients, providers, employers and other leaders was tremendous. Termination of the contract last month was a difficult decision, especially in the face of COVID-19, but we knew it was a necessary decision as we could only continue to provide the value-driven care our community relies upon by addressing St. Luke’s financial health. This agreement does that.
“As this new agreement goes into effect, our focus remains where it has always been–on patients. We’re eager to continue working with those BCBSTX customers who have remained under our care, and to working with those who find themselves in need of hospital-based care in the future.”
St. Luke’s Health is a trusted and highly regarded resource in the greater Houston medical community, with an integrated health network dedicated to delivering advanced medical care and research, compassionate care and a Christian ministry of healing. In addition to its unique academic and community partnerships with Baylor College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, the Texas Heart Institute and Kelsey Seybold, St. Luke’s Health is nationally recognized as having some of the best physicians and hospitals in the country.
US News & World Report ranks Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center as the number two hospital in Houston and the third best hospital in the state, with their programs in oncology, cardiology, orthopedics, neurology, gastroenterology and geriatrics rated among the best in the country.
The new agreement with BCBSTX will help St. Luke’s Health preserve the type of value-driven, high quality, and innovative care our patients and the community have come to expect. Choice is important and consumers rely on St. Luke’s Health for services ranging from life-saving care at our regional facilities in communities like Lake Jackson, Lufkin, and Bryan-College Station to pioneering treatments such as double lung transplant care for COVID patients at our flagship academic medical center at Baylor St. Luke’s.
As of January 8, 2021, St. Luke’s Health and BCBSTX affirm how important choice is when it comes to your healthcare.
St. Luke’s Health and BCBSTX reached an agreement on January 8, 2021.
FAQs
GENERAL
Now that St. Luke’s Health and BCBSTX have a new contract, what does that mean for my care?
We are extremely grateful for your patience as we worked through this negotiation with BCBSTX and ask for your continued patience as it may take up to two weeks for BCBSTX to update their systems. We remain committed to working with you to ensure the care you need is provided in a timely manner.
If you have BCBSTX insurance, your care at a St. Luke’s Health facility is considered in-network.
What if I have BCBSTX insurance and received care at a St. Luke’s Health facility during the termination period?
During the termination period, St. Luke’s Health worked to assist qualifying patients with access to continuity of care. This issue remains a top priority to us, and as of January 8, 2021, St. Luke’s Health and BCBSTX have agreed that BCBSTX patients who had care provided by St. Luke’s Health on or after December 17, 2020, will have access to in-network benefits.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For media inquiries, please contact Vanessa Astros at vastros@stlukeshealth.org
For all other questions, please contact Payer Relations at stlukescaringforyou@sleh.com
Questions? Call 800-653-6134