No Dignity?

Blog readers will know that the UC Regents have spent a lot of time during recent months debating the relationship between UC Health facilities and Dignity Health, a Catholic-affiliated health provider that on religious grounds will not perform certain sex-related procedures such as abortion. A complicated policy was adopted governing the relationship between the two providers. (As it happens, the Health Services Committee of the Regents is meeting tomorrow via Zoom.)

Some readers may have recently received an undated letter (reproduced below) from UC Health regarding the relationship between Anthem Blue Cross - or "BlueCross" - as its insignia above has it - and Dignity Health regarding UC's PPO plans. Although it may appear the issue described has something to do with the above-mentioned Regental policy, it appears instead that there is (or was) a contract dispute between Anthem as insurer and Dignity as provider over costs charged by the latter to the former. If the dispute remains unresolved, it will be disadvantageous for PPO users to continue to obtain services from Dignity facilities. There is no indication in the letter as to the likelihood of such a resolution. 

By the way, not that the insignia of UC Health on the letterhead includes the phrase "Self-Funded Health Plans." This phrase refers to the fact that UC, as do many large employers, uses Anthem as the administrator of the plans. Anthem handles the paperwork and negotiations with providers over costs. But UC effectively acts as the insurer.