By: Lev Ginsburg, Executive Director of the New York State Conference of Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans.
For too many New Yorkers, health care has become a source of anxiety long before they even step into a doctor’s office.
A disturbing trend has emerged in our state, where large corporate hospital systems are increasingly using the public as a bargaining chip during contract negotiations. While these disputes were once handled quietly behind closed doors, they have now devolved into high-stakes PR wars where the patient is the primary weapon.
These massive health systems often deploy scare tactics to exert undue pressure on the negotiation process. By sending out public threats about potential coverage losses or out-of-network status, they cause panic among vulnerable patients.
The goal is simple, frighten the public enough to pressure insurance plans to concede to higher prices. We must be clear about the consequences. When these high-pressure tactics succeed, they don’t lead to better care or more doctors, they only lead to increased anxiety and higher costs for everyday New Yorkers and small businesses.
New York’s giant hospital systems already use their consolidated heft to leverage higher reimbursements. The addition of promoting public fear translates directly into higher premiums for individuals and small businesses, and less take-home pay for their workers.
This is why New York needs to enact “quiet period reforms” to bring fairness back to the negotiating table. By mandating a quiet period during the most sensitive negotiation phases, we can prohibit inflammatory public statements and threats of coverage loss and ensure fair negotiations that would result in lower prices for local employers, families, and all New Yorkers.
Let’s stop using patients as leverage. Health care is too important to use as a PR tool. By prohibiting publicity over negotiations, New York can better balance discussions that prioritize affordability.
We must move the conversation toward actual affordability. New Yorkers need a health care system where fair negotiations lead to better deals, not more anxiety. It’s time for our leaders to step up and ensure that the only thing being discussed in a hospital negotiation is how to provide the best care at the most sustainable price.