Central Georgia Health System gets new Blues contract

The Central Georgia Health System, based in Macon, has reached an agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, ending a contract dispute with one of its largest commercial payers.

The system, which includes the 659-bed Medical Center of Central Georgia, a rehabilitation hospital, home-health services and diagnostic-imaging centers, will remain in-network for Georgia Blues patients.

The parties will extend their previous contact, which expired Thursday, until April 30 to finalize contract terms.

About 14% of the system’s receivables came from BCBS in fiscal 2013, which ended Sept. 30, according to a financial report. Other commercial payers accounted for 30%.

Central Georgia said it needed the new contract terms to address “medical inflation and substantial declines in reimbursement.”

The system last month ended a contract with Cigna after failing to reach acceptable terms.

Follow Beth Kutscher on Twitter: @MHbkutscher