Mergers limiting choice - Part II

5 days ago, I made a post about the latest mergers of health insurance companies doing business in Colorado. The gist of it stated that new supercompanies of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and United HealthCare were formed. The United HealthCare merger gulped up 4 companies that were once competing and combined them into 1 - this reducing your choice as a consumer. Another thing this would create is a company with such a large market share in Colorado that it would have unfair leverage when negotiating contracts with doctors and hospitals. A small family practice probably can't afford to lose all of it's clients that belong to such a large company.

Apparently, a hospital chain as large as HCA can. While contract negotiations between the two sides have been going on for months, United HealthCare released a statement today saying:

"While these discussions are ongoing, HCA has sent UnitedHealthcare a notice that would terminate the UnitedHealthcare contract in Tampa and South Florida on August 29, 2006 and in Denver on August 31, 2006. Golden Rule is mailing notification to insureds in those markets today."

The following Denver, Colorado area HealthOne (HCA) hospitals & ambulatory centers will be affected by the termination of the HCA contract:
Hospitals
North Suburban Medical Center
Presbyterian/St Luke’s Med Ctr
Rose Medical Center
Sky Ridge Medical Center
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Swedish Medical Center
Med Center of Aurora

Ambulatory Surgery Centers
Centennial Medical Plaza
Centrum Surgical Center
Clear Creek Surgical Center
Lakewood Surgical Center
Lowry Surgery Center
Med Center of Aurora North – IP
Midtown Surgical Center
North Suburban Surgery Center
Rocky Mountain Surgical Center
Rose Surgical Center
Sky Ridge Surgical Center