Secure Horizons Reaches Contract Agreement with Mercy Physicians Group
Following weeks of negotiations, Mercy Physicians Medical Group and Secure Horizons, PacifiCare's Medicare+Choice plan, have signed a "memorandum of understanding" for a contract that will be active from April 1 to Dec. 31, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The agreement will allow 5,600 Secure Horizons beneficiaries in San Diego County to continue to see Mercy physicians through the end of the year (Fong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3/14). Last month, officials extended the current contract's termination date to May 1, giving negotiators until the end of March to reach an agreement. State law requires health plans to give members at least 30 days notice before terminating a contract (California Healthline, 2/27). Dr. Stewart Frank, president of Mercy Physicians, said that negotiations were bolstered when Scripps Health hospitals offered to accept lower reimbursement rates from Secure Horizons so the plan could offer higher rates to Mercy Physicians. Of the negotiations, Frank said, "We're finding there are fewer and fewer players (in health care) and we all have to cooperate" (San Diego Union-Tribune, 3/14).
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