Hahnemann University Hospital and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children
Extend Current Agreement With Independence Blue Cross
PHILADELPHIA, April 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hahnemann University
Hospital, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children and Independence Blue Cross
(IBC) announced today that they have reached agreement in principle on terms
of new contracts. They have extended their current agreements while they
define terms for new multi-year contracts. Hahnemann and St. Christopher's are
both part of Tenet Healthcare Corporation's (NYSE: THC) national network of
hospitals. The parties will continue to work together to finalize details of
the new contracts with a targeted effective date of July 1, 2008.
Members of IBC will continue to have access to health care services offered at
the two hospitals, their outpatient centers and employed physician practices.
The parties have been working to reach new agreements in advance of the
current contract termination, which was to have occurred on April 30.
"We are pleased to reach an agreement that avoids a potentially disruptive
contract termination for our patients," said Michael P. Halter, chief
executive officer of Hahnemann University Hospital. "This extension of our
agreement means that we can continue providing care to our patients who are
covered by Independence Blue Cross."
Bernadette Mangan, chief executive officer of St. Christopher's Hospital for
Children, said, "We welcome the opportunity to continue working with
Independence Blue Cross to provide quality care for their members."
"We value our longstanding relationship with Hahnemann and St. Christopher's
Hospitals and are pleased that we have achieved an understanding as the basis
for a new agreement," said I. Steven Udvarhelyi, chief medical officer and
senior vice president. "More importantly, our members will continue to receive
quality care from these institutions."
About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is a leading health insurer in Southeastern
Pennsylvania. IBC and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.4 million
people. For 70 years, Independence Blue Cross has offered high-quality health
care coverage tailored to meet the changing needs of members, employers, and
health care professionals. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee
of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue
Cross and Blue Shield Plans. To learn more about Independence Blue Cross,
visit www.ibx.com.
About Hahnemann University Hospital
Hahnemann University Hospital is a 540-bed academic medical center at Broad
and Vine Streets in Philadelphia, Pa. The hospital is a tertiary care
institution that specializes in cardiac services, heart failure and
transplantation, OB/GYN, orthopedics, medical, surgical and radiation
oncology, bone marrow transplantation, renal dialysis and
kidney/pancreas/liver transplantation. Hahnemann has been named by U.S. News
and World Report as one of the nation's top fifty hospitals for heart care and
is also recognized by the American Heart Association as a leader in coronary
artery disease and heart failure treatments. The hospital performed one of the
city's first kidney transplants in 1963 and one of the first bone marrow
transplants in 1976. Hahnemann became Philadelphia's first Level I Regional
Resource Trauma Center for adults in 1986, and since then has been served by
MidAtlantic MedEvac, an aeromedical transport program for critically ill
patients. Hahnemann is proud to be the first hospital in Philadelphia to join
with The Wellness Community of Philadelphia to offer onsite support and
education services to cancer patients and their families. Hahnemann is fully
accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare
Organizations, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.
An affiliate of Drexel University College of Medicine, Hahnemann University
Hospital is part of Tenet Pennsylvania, which also includes St. Christopher's
Hospital for Children. To learn more about Hahnemann, visit
www.hahnemannhospital.com.
About St. Christopher's Hospital for Children
St. Christopher's Hospital for Children is a 170-bed pediatric hospital
located at 3601 A Street in Philadelphia, PA that has an academic affiliation
with Drexel University College of Medicine and the Temple University School of
Medicine. The hospital provides a wide range of pediatric medical and surgical
specialties. With a medical staff of more than 270 pediatric specialists, St.
Christopher's is a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center and provides programs such
as kidney transplantation, cancer treatment, burn and wound care, minimally
invasive surgery, and open heart surgery for the children of the greater
Philadelphia area and from around the world. The hospital is fully accredited
by the Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest hospital
accreditation agency. St. Christopher's Hospital for Children is part of
Tenet Healthcare Corporation's Hospitals in the Philadelphia market. To learn
more about St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, visit
www.stchristophershospital.com.
SOURCE Hahnemann University Hospital
Coleen Cannon of Hahnemann University Hospital, Office: +1-215-762-7235, Cell:
+1-215-439-0066; or Karen Godlewski of Independence Blue Cross, Office:
+1-215-241-3113, Cell: +1-609-413-6803
