Frisbie unveils legal action on Anthem exclusion

Frisbie CEO Al Felgar

ROCHESTER - Frisbie Memorial Hospital has announced formal legal action against Anthem Insurance for not including the hospital in New Hampshire’s Affordable Care Act network.

“The Rochester hospital is taking legal action to appeal the decision that prevents its team of providers from caring for its patients,” a Wednesday press release stated.

In the release Frisbie CEO Al Felgar said, “This (exclusion) not only drives a wedge between our physicians and the thousands of patients we serve, this decision jeopardizes our future operations as a hospital serving greater Rochester.”

Felgar said he just wants Frisbie to have a level playing field with other hospitals in the state.

The release also attests that many patients who use Frisbie or its affiliated doctors will no longer be able to receive treatment locally.

If a hearing is granted, Frisbie will request a New Hampshire policy that allows any willing provider to be allowed a good faith negotiation with any insurance provider which sells medical insurance through the Affordable Care Act.

Felgar also takes exception to the way Anthem picked and chose its provider hospitals without a public process that allowed Frisbie to make its case to be included.

In all, 10 hospitals throughout the state were excluded from the network by Anthem, a for-profit health provider that split off from Blue Cross Blue Shield several years ago.

Hospital attorneys have petitioned for a hearing with the state Department of Insurance to reconsider Anthem’s decision to exclude Frisbie.