Cigna has terminated its agreement with Jacksonville-based Baptist Health, a contract shakeup that the hospital system says could leave Cigna plan members without in-network access to Baptist hospitals. In messages to policyholders, Baptist Health said the move comes after a year of negotiations and warned that the termination could take effect on June 23, 2026. The system is telling patients not to cancel appointments and says it intends to keep negotiating with the insurer.
According to the Jacksonville Business Journal, Cigna formally notified Baptist Health that it was ending the contract, and Baptist then alerted policyholders by email. The outlet first flagged the change and detailed how the health system began reaching out directly to affected members.
On its patient information page, Baptist Health emphasizes that “Baptist Health remains in-network with Cigna until June 23, 2026,” and advises members who want to stay in-network to call Cigna, talk with their employer, or contact a broker. The FAQ explains that if the termination goes through, inpatient and most outpatient services at Baptist would be treated as out-of-network, while some behavioral health and infusion services are not part of the current negotiations.
What Patients Could Face
If Cigna and Baptist Health do not reach a new deal, most care at Baptist would no longer be covered at in-network rates for affected members, and patients could see higher out-of-pocket costs. Emergency care is protected from surprise balance billing and is limited to in-network cost sharing under federal rules, according to CMS. Medicare Advantage enrollees may also qualify for a special enrollment period after certain provider terminations, as outlined in recent federal rulemaking on MA networks in the Federal Register.
A National Pattern
Showdowns like this are becoming a familiar script across the country, with hospitals and insurers trading public warnings as part of their bargaining tactics. In one recent dispute, Jefferson Health went out-of-network for Cigna commercial members, a move that Healthcare Dive reported as an example of how quickly rate negotiations can spill over to patients’ wallets and provider access.
What To Do Now
Baptist Health is urging Cigna members to keep appointments that are scheduled before June 23 and to call the number on the back of their insurance card to tell Cigna that remaining in-network is important. For patients in the middle of ongoing or complex treatment, the system’s FAQ suggests asking about continuity-of-care protections and checking with an employer or broker about possible alternative coverage options…