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Humana will remove CommonSpirit services for Medicare Advantage patients next year hospital group annnounces

CommonSpirit
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COLORADO — CommonSpirit Health said its providers and non-emergency services will no longer be in-network for Coloradans on Humana's Medicare Advantage Plan starting Jan. 1, 2025.

This means patients will pay higher out-of-pocket costs in the new year if they visit CommonSpirit facilities, like hospitals and urgent care clinics. Kevin Massey, a spokesperson for CommonSpirit, said he could not answer questions about why the change was happening. Instead, he sent News5 the following statement:

An agreement between CommonSpirit Health and Humana for Medicare Advantage plans in Colorado will expire on January 1, 2025, and Humana will remove CommonSpirit services in Colorado from its network. 

As a non-profit organization, fair and responsible agreements with insurance companies allow us to keep up with the rising cost of care, treat underserved patients, and continue to invest millions of dollars in our communities each year.

In November, CommonSpirit sent a letter to Humana Medicare Advantage patients in Colorado, informing them of this change. Patients were advised that they will see higher out-of-pocket costs if they have a Humana Medicare Advantage plan as of January 1, 2025, and visit a CommonSpirit hospital, clinic or provider for non-emergency care.   
Kevin Massey, CommonSpirit Health Mountain Region Communications Manager

Humana told News5 the termination of its contract with CommonSpirit was "both surprising and disappointing." Lisa Dimond, a spokesperson for Humana, sent News5 the following statement:

Humana strives to provide access to high-quality healthcare for our health plan members while minimizing out-of-pocket costs. CommonSpirit Health's decision to terminate our contract was both surprising and disappointing as we have been open to good-faith discussions and the possibility of renewing the contract if it’s fair to both sides.
Lisa Dimond, Humana

As the two companies go back and forth about the change, patients like Scott Chaussee are stuck dealing with the consequences. He lives in Pueblo and was planning on carpal tunnel surgery at CommonSpirit's St. Mary-Corwin Hospital soon, but will have to find another surgeon after the change.

"There's just a lot of questions and no answers," he said. "I used to be a ski racer in Vail. I've had knees and hips replaced. I've had 13 surgeries."

Chaussee said he's considering dropping his Humana Medicare Advantage plan, but is worried he won't find another insurance plan in time for another back surgery planned for February in Colorado Springs.

"You've got to have health insurance in this country," said Chaussee. "I don't know. I don't know what to do, you know?"

After January 1, if you have Humana's Medicare Advantage Plan, you can still see a CommonSpirit doctor, but your out-of-pocket costs will be higher.

If you enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan during the annual enrollment period, you can shift to a different plan one time during the Medicare Advantage open enrollment period, which is between January 1 and March 31.

To explore Medicare plans, visit MedicareOnDemand's website. You can also call 855-522-1020 to speak with a licensed insurance agent Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

If you are affected by this change, we would love to hear from you. You can email our newsroom at news@koaa.com.
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