Ventura County Medical Group to Break Contract with Health Net
A Ventura County medical group made up of Buenaventura Medical Group, Sea View IPA and Valley Care IPA has informed Woodland Hills-based Health Net that it will terminate its contract with the insurance company Oct. 9, the Ventura County Star reports. The two sides had been renegotiating their contract for several months, but the medical group, which provides care primarily for western Ventura County residents, said it could not accept the insurer's reimbursement rates. Mary Jarvis, director of marketing and public relations at Buenaventura Medical Group, said, "We cannot accept any contract that might force us to compromise the care we provide and harm the financial viability of our physician groups." But Health Net spokesperson Brad Kieffer said, "No final decision has been made. We are hopeful and optimistic that we can arrive at a new contract, and we look forward to preserving our members' access to quality care at a cost that remains affordable." If the medical group terminates the contract, about 35,000 patients will be affected, and those who choose to remain in the Health Net network will have to choose other doctors (Mitchell, Ventura County Star, 7/17).
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