Billings Clinic and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana jointly announced Tuesday a 15-day extension of their medical reimbursement rates contract to continue negotiations.
The contract, originally scheduled to expire March 31, will now run through April 15 as negotiations continue in good faith, according to a statement signed off by both sides.
"Billings Clinic and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana are jointly announcing that we have agreed to a 15-day extension of our current hospital services contract in order to continue ongoing contract renewal negotiations. The current contract will now extend through April 15, 2025, instead of March 31. Focused discussions are underway with a shared goal of securing a new contract for hospital services at Billings Clinic before April 15. Although not finalized, these conversations are progressing in good faith with the objective of reaching a new agreement without disruption to patients," the statement read.
The negotiations affect about 40,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield household customers in Montana who use Billings Clinic, the state's largest hospital, for medical care.
In December, the hospital's CEO, Dr. Clint Seger, wrote in a letter to patients that the hospital hasn't increased its reimbursement rates in 10 years and was struggling with rising costs.
If the two sides can't reach deal, Billings Clinic would no longer be an in-network provider for Blue Cross Blue Shield customers, forcing them to likely pay higher costs for medical care or seek different doctors within their insurance network.
Related: Billings Clinic, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana in contract negotiations
