We can be selfish when it comes to River Park
It’s great to see state Sen. Jerry Cooper working so diligently to try and produce a compromise between Blue Cross Blue Shield and HCA. That’s because something desperately needs to be done to get a contract agreement signed between these two health care giants as soon as possible.
Based on Cooper’s letter, his solution appears completely fair and logical. Since the two sides have broken off negotiations and obviously are unable to reach an agreement on their own, an independent arbitrator needs to step in and solve the problem. Suggesting Gov. Phil Bredesen provide three possible arbitrators is totally appropriate.
Bredesen made his fortune in the health care industry and early indications show he’s doing a fine job getting Tennessee’s budget problems worked out.
What Warren County residents need to remember is it’s in our best interest to have an agreement between HCA and Blue Cross finalized because HCA is the parent company to our very own River Park Hospital.
River Park is a fine facility which serves this community well. The only problem is River Park won’t be doing Warren County residents financial justice if Blue Cross Blue Shield patients are forced to pay out-of-network fees to obtain care there.
We should approach this situation selfishly. River Park is our hospital in our community. It’s where many of us go to deliver our children. It’s where many of us turn for professional advice about our medical problems.
We don’t want to pay more to use this facility because with the soaring cost of health care, it will force a number of River Park patrons to seek care elsewhere. When employees at Bridgestone, A.O. Smith and the school system, just to name a few major employers, use Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance, it’s easy to see the impact for River Park.
If Blue Cross and HCA want to draw a line in the sand and look at each other face to face to see which side will blink first, they can do that in Nashville and Clarksville and any other area where there are several hospital choices. Here in Warren County, we only have one choice. There is no other hospital.
That’s why we encourage HCA and Blue Cross to accept Sen. Cooper’s offer. Since you can’t negotiate a contract on your own, it’s your duty as health care providers to let an independent and impartial moderator decide for you.
In Warren County, we have a right to think that way. We have a top-notch hospital and we want to continue to use it.