Galichia Heart Hospital has again expanded its reach as an in-network provider, signing first-time agreements with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas and Coventry Health Care of Kansas Inc.

The agreements take affect Jan. 1 and are in addition to a similar deal Galichia signed earlier this year with Preferred Health Systems, which is in the process of being sold to Coventry.

These are among a list of deals this year that insurers have signed with local health care providers that will essentially end exclusivity and create a more open market.

“We think that it’s important for the patients to have choices and for the (Galichia) hospital to compete on quality of service,” says Steve Harris, Galichia’s CEO, of the deals with Blue Cross and Coventry.

This year, the state’s largest insurers have expanded their Wichita reach by adding more institutions as in-network providers.

Locally, Blue Cross has contracts with Wesley Medical Center, Via Christi, Galichia, Kansas Heart Hospital and Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital. PHS has agreements with Via Christi, Wesley, Galichia, Kansas Medical Center in Andover and Wesley Rehab. Coventry has inked deals with Wesley, Galichia, Wesley Rehab and Via Christi-Our Lady of Lourdes.

Harris says the pending PHS sale shouldn’t have an affect on Galichia’s insurance agreements with it and Coventry. He says Coventry plans to honor the two agreements separately for at least the first year.

Wichita Business Journal - by Josh Heck