Syracuse, N.Y. -- Upstate University Hospital and Aetna have reached an agreement on a new contract, which means the health insurer’s customers will no longer have to pay more out of their own pockets to use the Syracuse hospital. The hospital terminated its contract with Aetna July 16 in a dispute over reimbursement levels. In a joint statement issued today,...
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Upstate University Hospital and Aetna have reached an agreement on a new contract, which means the health insurer’s customers will no longer have to pay more out of their own pockets to use the Syracuse hospital.
The hospital terminated its contract with Aetna July 16 in a dispute over reimbursement levels.
In a joint statement issued today, Upstate and Aetna announced they have a new three-year contact that takes effect today. Financial terms were not released. Under the new contract, Aetna is increasing reimbursement rates to Upstate, but it would not say by how much. “There was a lot of give and take on both sides,” said Susan G. Millerick, an Aetna spokeswoman.
Aetna has about 47,000 members in the region. Upstate estimates that Aetna covers fewer than 2 percent of its patients.
When the old contract expired, Upstate became an “out-of-network” provider. Patients who go to out-of-network providers must pay more of the bill.
Aetna members who go to Upstate now will be covered at the in-network level of benefits.