WMCHealth and Empire BlueCross BlueShield Announce New Agreement

Effective immediately, WMCHealth hospitals and affiliated providers will rejoin Empire BlueCross BlueShield's network of participating providers under a new, three-year agreement, retroactive to June 1. That means that all Empire members who received covered health care services from WMCHealth hospitals and affiliated providers on or after June 1 will receive coverage for these services at the in-network level of benefits.

Those WMCHealth hospitals, facilities and providers covered under the new agreement are:

• Westchester Medical Center; Maria Fareri Children's Hospital; Behavioral Health Center in Valhalla
• MidHudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie
• Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern
• St. Anthony Community Hospital in Warwick
• Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis
• WMCHealth Advanced Physician Services
• Bon Secours Charity Health System Medical Group
• HealthAlliance hospitals in Kingston and Margaretville continue to be in-network per an existing 2017 contract with Empire BlueCross and Blue Shield.

"As we continue forward with our goal to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for New Yorkers, we are extremely pleased to have reached a new agreement with WMCHealth," said Alan Murray, president, Empire BlueCross and Blue Shield. "Improving the lives and overall well-being of New Yorkers remains our foremost priority as a leader in this new era of healthcare."

"As the leading provider of healthcare in the Hudson Valley, WMCHealth is committed to providing the highest quality healthcare services close to home for the residents of our region," said Michael D. Israel, President and CEO of WMCHealth. "WMCHealth is a vital part of the healthcare and economic fabric of the Hudson Valley, and we are pleased that together with Empire BlueCross BlueShield we forged an agreement that benefits our community and fairly supports the advanced, lifesaving care we provide to the residents of our region."