Northern Light and Anthem extend contract for 30 days

By Ethan Andrews, Bangor Daily News Staff

Northern Light Health and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield have extended their contract for another month, the parties said in a joint statement on Oct. 1.

The short-term agreement comes less than a day after their contract expired, briefly throwing roughly 30,000 Northern Light patients out of Anthem’s coverage network.

In their joint statement, Anthem, the state’s largest insurer, and Northern Light, one of the largest health systems in Maine, said they will “continue working toward a long-term agreement that prioritizes affordability, patient access, and quality of care.”

During the extension, Northern Light physicians and medical providers, including primary care and specialists, will remain in-network with Anthem employer-sponsored and individual health plans through Oct. 31, the parties said.

Additionally, Northern Light inpatient care and services from hospital outpatient departments will stay in-network with Anthem plans through Dec. 31. All Northern Light hospitals and physicians will remain in-network for Anthem Medicare Advantage plans through Dec. 31.

The contract extension will expire just before Maine’s health insurance open enrollment period opens Nov. 1. For coverage starting Jan. 1, the deadline to enroll is Dec. 15. For Medicare Advantage patients, the open enrollment period runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, according to Northern Light.

During the monthslong negotiations between the two organizations, which have become increasingly messy and public, many patients have expressed concerns around the uncertainty of waiting to hear if their care will remain in-network. Some said they were considering finding new insurance plans or switching medical providers.

BDN writer Annie Rupertus contributed reporting.