RUTHERFORDTON, NC – Rutherford Regional Health System (RRHS) and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) are reminding their patients and customers that they can still depend on the health system for their in-network healthcare needs. While Mission Health in Asheville no longer accepts Blue Cross NC insurance, their decision has no impact on the services delivered at Rutherford Regional Health System.

Rutherford Regional is here for our community members who need in-network care at our facilities,” said Rebecca Segal, CEO of RRHS. “It’s important to us to maintain our delivery of quality care at an affordable cost with an outstanding team of providers and staff. We’re proud to call Blue Cross NC a partner and will do so for a very long time to come.”

“Blue Cross NC continues to have a positive relationship with Rutherford Regional, and our customers can continue to count on the hospital system for quality, affordable health care,” said Mark Werner, Vice President of Provider Network at Blue Cross NC. “Mission Health’s decision to pull its doctors and hospitals out of our network, while upsetting and frustrating to tens of thousands of Western North Carolinians, has no impact on Rutherford Regional: if you are insured by Blue Cross NC, you can still get in-network care at Rutherford Regional.”

In July, Mission Health announced that they were terminating their contract with Blue Cross NC and pulling its doctors and hospitals out of the Blue Cross NC network.

Mission Health’s decision was due to a contract dispute in which they rejected a proposal from Blue Cross NC that was designed to slow rising health care costs faced by families across the state, while still allowing the hospital system to earn more money if they demonstrated quality improvements in patient outcomes.

More than 40 other hospitals across North Carolina have accepted similar terms. Mission Health is the only one that decided to end negotiations and leave the Blue Cross NC network.    

Blue Cross customers can visit www.bcbsnc.com/wnc to find an in-network provider, such as Rutherford Regional, in their area. Patients and families seeking more information about RRHS can visit MyRutherfordRegional.com to find a provider or learn more about its variety of services.

 

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina improves the health and well-being of our customers and communities by providing innovative health care products, services and information to more than 3.89 million members, including approximately 1 million served on behalf of other Blue Plans. Since 1933, we have worked to make North Carolina a better place to live through our support of community organizations, programs and events that promote good health. We have been recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute multiple times since 2012. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Visit Blue Cross NC online at bcbsnc.com. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

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