Fresno city leaders push for deal as Blue Shield, Community Health contract dispute continues

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The impasse betwixt Blue Shield and Fresno's Community Health System continues to resistance on. For astir 3 weeks, 12,000 enrollees person been incapable to get in-network coverage.

"Our lone level 1 trauma halfway is close present successful downtown Fresno, and the information that we nary longer person in-network sum is simply a superior problem," Fresno City Council President Mike Karbassi said connected Thursday.

Among those caught successful the mediate are 5,000 metropolis employees.

Blue Shield claims Community terminated the contract. But the healthcare strategy states the security institution did not assistance different extension.

City leaders accidental it is clip to chopped Blue Shield retired of the process and, instead, negociate directly.

"In situations similar this, the Health and Welfare Trust tin negociate and enactment straight with a provider, successful this case, Community Health Systems," Karbassi said.

This quality comes conscionable weeks aft Community restored sum for 6,000 Fresno Unified retirees connected Aetna.

Last month, Action News met Emily Brandt, who taught astatine Bullard High for 22 years.

"I whitethorn look fine, but I don't consciousness fine," she told us.

Brandt suffers from a uncommon signifier of crab affecting 3 successful a cardinal people.

Her appointments astatine Community were canceled aft the lapse successful Aetna sum there, prompting Brandt to instrumentality the bonzer measurement of traveling crossed the state for treatment.

"I'm going to Boston and hoping to get attraction there," she said. "They volition judge our security astatine Dana-Farber, but Community doesn't."

Action News asked metropolis leaders astir Community's way record.

"We saw what happened with Aetna past month. A 2nd impasse now. Does Community carnivore immoderate work successful your mind?" we asked Karbassi.

"That's a just question," helium said. "I'll archer you 1 thing. Community has been precise transparent successful answering immoderate of our questions."

"They're connected announcement arsenic overmuch arsenic Blue Shield, but they're the ones close present consenting to negotiate... to the constituent wherever they're consenting to negociate straight with our trust," Karbassi said.

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