W-b Offering Free Skating For Children

Adelaide Mcgarry 
December 21, 1997 
Adelaide (addie) H. Mcgarry, 100, Formerly Of Wyoming Avenue, West Pittston, 
Died Sunday At The Home Of Her Daughter In Carneys Point, N.j.

By PAMELA C. TURFA; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Wednesday, December 24, 1997 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





WILKES-BARRE- Federal retirees and current federal employees with Blue
Cross insurance will have to pay more next year to use the two Wyoming Valley
Health Care System hospitals. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The hospitals' negotiated rates are not low enough to qualify for the 1998
"preferred provider" list for Blue Cross and Blue Shield federal plans in
Pennsylvania. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The change affects about 1,900 Blue Cross subscribers in the Luzerne County
area. In the county, only Mercy Hospital and the Department of Veterans
Affairs Medical Center are preferred provider hospitals. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It does not affect subscribers of other Blue Cross plans and the First
Priority Health Plan. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Wilkes-Barre General and Nesbitt Memorial Hospital are member hospitals of
the Blue Cross federal plan, meaning subscribers can receive services there
and the hospitals will continue to file claims. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But subscribers who are not also covered by Medicare will have to pay for
the privilege of using a hospital not on the preferred provider list. Those
charges include: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A $250 per admission deductible for each hospitalization. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A $100 per day co-payment for outpatient surgery and other outpatient
services. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Blue Cross spokeswoman Tricia Pahoski could not say how many of the 1,900
Federal Employee Plan subscribers are retirees with Medicare. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Dozens of Blue Cross subscribers called the newspaper during the past two
days to complain about the change. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Many said they are angry they weren't told Wilkes-Barre General Hospital
would be dropped from the preferred provider list until after the annual "open
enrollment" period ended in early December. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Others said they are worried they might have to switch doctors or surgeons
because their health-care providers practice only at Wilkes-Barre General. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Blue Cross blames a printing delay in getting word about the change out to
subscribers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The open enrollment period ended in early December, and the insurer did not
begin mailing notices to subscribers until Dec. 3. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The rates reimbursed to each hospital are negotiated by representatives of
the hospitals, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Pennsylvania and the
Federal Employee Health Benefit Plans program. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Pahoski said she could not say why the three parties were unable to
negotiate a rate that would keep Wilkes-Barre General on the "preferred
provider" list. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In a written statement, Wyoming Valley Health Care System said the hospital
is not in the preferred provider network "for business reasons." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Spokesman Jim Roberts also said: "It gets extremely complicated as to who
did what to whom and when." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He also said federal employees are offered non-Blue Cross options that
include Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In a question-and-answer prepared by Blue Cross for its customer service
representatives, the insurer says: "Federal employee health benefit plans are
expected to manage their costs prudently. All plans have cost containment
measures in place. Preferred provider programs are programs that help contain
costs." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Both the hospital and Blue Cross also said negotiations are continuing with
the federal health plan provider. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The status of our participation in the 1998 preferred provider hospital
network can change during the plan year," the health care system's written
statement said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Federal Workers, Retirees See Blue Cross Cost Hike 
Printing Problems 
Delayed Notification Until 
After The Open Enrollment 
Period For Health Plans Had 
Passed, Blue Cross Says

Federal Workers, Retirees See Blue Cross Cost Hike Printing Problems Delayed Notification Until After The Open Enrollment Period For Health Plans Had Passed, Blue Cross Says