“There will be a possibility of chaos”: Doctor details impact of Anthem/CommonSpirit contract dispute

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - A Colorado Springs doctor is shedding new light on how the contract battle between insurer Anthem and healthcare provider CommonSpirit is already taking a toll on Coloradans.

As of Thursday, Anthem and CommonSpirit still had not agreed on the terms of a new contract. The situation affects many Coloradans who have insurance with Anthem as it means thousands of people will be paying more out of pocket to continue services at certain primary care facilities. Those with special procedures and surgeries have until July 30 before their coverage expires.

Dr. Richard Vu said he is already seeing an impact on the patients he serves at his independent clinic. He said those most affected are those getting specialist treatment as they now need to find another specialist in their network.

“At this time we only have a few patients who request for that transition of care however, I anticipate that number to continue to increase and my guess is that over the next two to three months is when we will see the full effect,” he said.

He said the process could lead to chaos.

“In general, the specialists in our community are busy and overwhelmed,” Vu said.

Vu said switching between specialists isn’t an easy process for patients.

“They have a trusted team of specialist network providers that are taking care of them now, now they will have to build a new team of specialists of providers to take care of them,” he said.

11 News also reached out to UCHealth to see whether they are seeing more people seeking help at their clinics and hospitals.

Vu said anyone with questions should reach out to their primary care provider. He said he wants patients to know they are not alone during this difficult time.

“It is not yet time to panic,” he said. “There is still time for Anthem and CommonSpirit to come to an agreement.”

The commissioner of the Colorado Division of Insurance said those who have questions about their coverage should contact Anthem. He said they have provided a list of frequently asked questions for people to reference.