Posted inSalem Health

Regence dispute with Salem Health shows craziness of U.S. health care

I'm glad I ditched my Regence Medicare Advantage plan last November, switching to a Providence Medicare Advantage plan after getting a letter from Salem Health warning that negotiations were ongoing with Regence over renewing a contract for in-network services that expired at the end of the year. For it turned out that December 31 came and went with no agreement between Regence and Salem Health. A Salem Reporter story, "Thousands of Regence members to lose in-network care at Salem Health, insurer says," tells the sorry tale. Thousands of people insured through Regence will have to pay more to get care…
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Posted inCoronavirus Salem Health

I get a Salem Health Covid shot, a bit unfairly

NEXT DAY UPDATE: BAD NEWS. My wife just spoke with an over 65 friend who, along with her husband, were hoping to get a Covid shot at the Fairgrounds today, Friday. She was told that they were turned away, likely because of what Governor Brown announced this morning about the state not getting additional vaccine doses from the federal government as promised. Looks like another screw-up from the Trump administration, among many others. It's been an interesting 24 hours, Covid-wise.  Last night I wrote a blog post, Salem Health is allowing people to get "extra doses" of Covid vaccine, where…
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Posted inSalem Health

Dispute between Regence and Salem Health features two unlikable combatants

I'm a Regence Medicare Advantage member, so have been following the dispute between Regence and Salem Health with considerable interest. But if I wasn't aware of it before, a full page Regence ad in last Sunday's Statesman Journal (April 21) made the contract impasse difficult to miss. Heck, it was two-thirds the length of our dog! The headline said, "Salem Health is asking for a bigger raise than you can afford." And down at the bottom, "Salem Health is demanding  a double-digit increase that you can't afford." Well, maybe.  Right now I'm not going to believe what Regence says, nor…
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