The Board of Directors of Vermilion Advantage Economic Development Corporation is calling on OSF HealthCare and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois to resolve their differences. Vicki Haugen, President and CEO of Vermilion Advantage, says her office has received numerous calls regarding the severe hardship and uncertainty being caused by unresolved contract issues between the health care provider and insurance company.
Vermilion Advantage has sent a letter to the boards of OSF HealthCare and Blue Cross Blue Shield expressing the concern of the 520-plus members Vermilion Advantage represents. The letter says Vermilion Advantage has been inundated with calls and emails of concern since OSF HealthCare acquired the former Presence United Samaritans Medical Center in Danville and Presence Covenant Medical Center in Urbana.
The letter from Vermilion Advantage also notes that letters from Blue Cross to members suggesting that Carle Hospital in Hoopeston or Carle in Champaign are options that do not provide much of a consolidation. The letter notes both institutions ‘’are 30 plus miles from the Danville-area customers you are both supposed to be serving.’’
The Vermilion Advantage letter adds there ‘’is nothing more personal, emotional, and many times frightening than dealing with health care needs and concerns. To have this major change in control of our local hospital with such a huge unknown remaining does not begin a new community relationship on a positive track.’’
