HaysMed & BCBSKS Contract Negotiation
HaysMed is deeply committed to bringing high-quality, compassionate care to the families and communities we serve. As the top provider of specialized care in western Kansas, we play an important role in making sure patients get the care they need – when and where they need it.
HaysMed and Pawnee Valley Community Hospital are currently negotiating our contracts with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS). These types of negotiations are normal and expected.
As advocates for our patients, we remain committed to reaching a fair agreement with BCBSKS that keeps your care close to home. For now, nothing changes. Please continue to attend and schedule appointments as usual. However, if a new agreement is not reached by December 31, 2026, HaysMed and PVCH will become out-of-network for BCBSKS commercial members. This could mean you pay more for care or lose access to your doctor.
These negotiations come at a time when rural hospitals are facing significant financial challenges. In fact, 86% of Kansas hospitals, including HaysMed, are losing money when providing care. While healthcare costs continue to rise, HaysMed remains the only healthcare provider in western Kansas with specialists available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide cancer treatment, higher-level trauma care, heart care, treatment for serious lung conditions, and many other specialized services patients depend on. We have done our part to lower the cost of care by moving hundreds of procedures to lower-cost outpatient settings and investing in advanced technology that improves patient outcomes while reducing costs. But those efforts alone are not enough.
As the largest health insurance company in the state, BCBSKS has a responsibility to fairly reimburse the hospitals that care for our communities so we can continue providing the essential services patients rely on.
We know keeping access to HaysMed and Pawnee Valley Community Hospital (PVCH) is important to you and our communities across western Kansas. Your voice can make a difference. We encourage you to:
- Call BCBSKS at 1-800-432-3990 or the number on the back of your insurance card and tell them how important it is to you to keep us in-network.
- Ask BCBSKS about your eligibility for continuity of care, which may allow you to continue seeing your HaysMed and PVCH providers for a period of time.
- If you receive insurance through your employer, talk to them. Tell your Human Resources leader that you expect access to the HaysMed and PVCH providers that you know and trust.
Find more information in our FAQs.
If you have additional questions, you can also call our dedicated line at 785-261-7999.
What are HaysMed and BCBSKS negotiating?
HaysMed and Pawnee Valley Community Hospital are seeking payment from BCBSKS that reflects the true cost of providing high-quality, complex care. A fair agreement with BCBSKS will help us continue to provide the services that patients and families in western Kansas rely on.
How do I know if I will be impacted by this negotiation?
If an agreement is not reached, and you are covered under a BCBSKS commercial plan, including ACA Marketplace plans and out-of-state BCBS plans, your access to HaysMed, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, and our doctors, providers, and care teams may be impacted after December 31, 2026. This will not affect patients with a Medicare plan or Healthy Blue Medicaid insurance through BCBSKS.
For now, nothing changes. Please continue to attend and schedule appointments as you normally would.
Which HaysMed services and facilities are impacted by this negotiation?
If an agreement is not reached, all HaysMed and Pawnee Valley Community Hospital services, locations, and providers may be impacted, with the exception of Gove County Medical Center, which is not included in these negotiations.
In addition, emergency care will remain accessible to all patients regardless of this negotiation. Health plans are required by law to cover emergency services provided in any hospital emergency department at in-network rates.
When will the negotiation be resolved?
Our goal is to avoid any disruption in care by reaching an agreement with BCBSKS as soon as possible. We are actively negotiating and hope BCBSKS will partner with us in putting patients first.
What happens if BCBSKS doesn’t agree to a fair contract?
Without an agreement with BCBSKS, HaysMed, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, and our doctors, providers, and care teams will be considered out-of-network for those with BCBSKS commercial insurance. As a result, patients with BCBSKS commerical insurance will face higher out-of-pocket costs and may lose access to their doctor.
What if I have a medical emergency after December 31, 2026?
You will always have access to emergency care. If you or a loved one is experiencing a medical emergency, please go to the nearest location immediately. Health plans like BCBSKS are required to cover emergency services provided at any hospital’s emergency department at in-network rates.
What if I’m pregnant or receiving complex treatment or critical care for a chronic illness that requires care after December 31, 2026?
Patients with certain serious conditions or critical care needs, such as but not limited to pregnancy, scheduled non-elective surgery, and terminal illness, may be eligible for continuity of care. This would provide patients approved by BCBSKS the opportunity to continue seeing their current care team at in-network rates for a certain period of time.
Patients must apply for continuity of care through BCBSKS. BCBSKS will review and approve or deny those applications on a case-by-case basis. BCBSKS is legally required to extend coverage for certain patients. We cannot predict how long the approval process for continuity of care claims may take, so please contact BCBSKS immediately to better understand their process and ensure your care is not interrupted.
Should patients with BCBSKS insurance reschedule existing appointments or stop scheduling future appointments?
You can continue to see your HaysMed doctors and use our hospitals, health centers and clinics as usual.
If BCBSKS is unwilling to reach an agreement, and you are covered under a BCBSKS commercial plan, including ACA Marketplace plans and out-of-state BCBS plans, your access to HaysMed, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, and our doctors, providers, and care teams may be impacted after December 31, 2026. This will not affect patients with Medicare or Healthy Blue Medicaid insurance through BCBSKS.
Some patients may qualify for continuity of care benefits. Please contact BCBSKS to learn whether you qualify and to apply for extended coverage. You can contact BCBSKS at the number on the back of your insurance card. We cannot predict how long the approval process for continuity of care claims may take, so please contact BCBSKS immediately to better understand their process and ensure your care is not interrupted.
What can I do to protect my in-network access to HaysMed and Pawnee Valley Community Hospital (PVCH)?
- Call BCBSKS at 1-800-432-3990 or the number on the back of your insurance card and tell them how important it is to you to keep us in-network.
- If you receive insurance through your employer, talk to them. Tell your Human Resources leader that you expect access to the HaysMed and PVCH providers that you know and trust.
How can I stay updated on the HaysMed/BCBSKS negotiation?
Visit this site for the latest news and keep an eye out for emails and communications from HaysMed.
Tell BCBSKS to Keep HaysMed and PVCH in Network
Call BCBSKS at the number on the back of your insurance card or 1-800-432-3990 and tell them how important it is to you to keep us in-network.
If you receive insurance through your employer, talk to them. Tell your Human Resources leader that you expect access to the HaysMed and PVCH providers that you know and trust.
