A mini-hospital company from Texas is trying to establish itself in the Treasure Valley. But Idaho’s largest health insurer says the company exploits its out-of-network status to seek reimbursement for medical services at rates sometimes 10 times as high as Medicare pays.
Unchecked, that could drive up health care costs for self-insured groups — or even push health insurance premiums higher, say officials with the insurer, Blue Cross of Idaho.
Nutex Health, based in Houston, operates boutique hospitals providing what it calls a “concierge” level of around-the-clock emergency care, plus some “specialty” services, according to its website. “In comparison to the traditional hospital systems, patients will be met with the convenience of emergency care in the comfort of a relaxing environment, a short wait time, and ample one-on-one time with a board-certified physician and emergency trained staff,” said the company in a 2024 news release announcing the opening of its sole Idaho hospital, the Post Falls ER & Hospital…