Renal svcs provider sues BCBS of Georgia

A renal services provider has sued Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, claiming that the health plan has illegally slashed reimbursement levels and cut out-of-network reimbursement levels. National Renal Alliance of Franklin, Tenn., which operates 43 dialysis centers across the U.S. and focuses on underserved communities, claims BCBS of Georgia violated federal law by refusing to contract at fair rates. In 2006, the health plan was paying National Renal $2,900 per treatment, an amount typical of what other commercial health plans pay. But on January 1, 2007, BCBS of Georgia cut that rate 88 percent, illegally discriminating against dialysis patients, National Renal says.

To learn more about the case:
- read this Modern Healthcare piece (reg. req.)

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