Jonathan Romeo, The Durango Herald
People insured by Anthem BlueCross BlueShield in Colorado may not have access to in-network coverage at Centura Health facilities – which includes Mercy Regional Medical Center – unless an agreement is reached before May 11.
To say that Anthem dropping Centura from its network would have a significant impact on residents in Southwest Colorado, as well as across the state, would be an understatement, said Adam Fox, with Colorado Consumer Health Initiative.
Mercy, by far, is the largest medical provider in Southwest Colorado, operating a 212,200-square-foot hospital with a capacity of 82 beds, and offers 135-board certified physicians representing 35 medical specialties and sub-specialties. It also boasts being one of the largest employers in Durango, with more than 800 full-time staff.
“There aren’t really many (if any) provider/hospital options in the area, so that means members could face extremely long travel to see an in-network provider,” Fox said.
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