Some 2 million New Yorkers insured by Healthfirst, one of the state’s largest Medicaid providers, are on the verge of losing coverage this fall for nearly a dozen hospitals in the NewYork-Presbyterian network as well as thousands of affiliated physicians — unless the two entities can agree by early November.
The insurer and hospital network have both posted notices online saying NewYork-Presbyterian medical centers and physicians at ColumbiaDoctors and Weill Cornell Medicine will go out of network for Healthfirst plans starting on Nov. 3. In addition to Medicaid plans for low-income residents, Healthfirst also offers other individual and family plans as well as Medicare Advantage insurance for older adults.
This isn’t the first time NewYork-Presbyterian has threatened to cut ties with a major insurer. The health system said it was on the verge of leaving Aetna’s network last year as the two negotiated over payment rates — but they ultimately inked a new deal just days before the old contract was set to expire…