Northern Light Pauses Billing Anthem Patients as Contract Talks Drag On

Overview

• Northen Light Health said Tuesday it will hold all bills for Anthem patients for care after Oct. 31 and will seek retroactive in‑network rates if a deal is reached.
• Anthem maintains Northern Light’s non‑hospital providers are out of network for employer and individual plans as of Nov. 1 unless an extension is signed.
• Anthem says all Northern Light hospitals and Medicare Advantage coverage remain in network through Dec. 31, with continuity‑of‑care exceptions possible for some patients.
• The insurer argues Northern Light’s latest price proposal exceeds what members and employer groups can afford, though it says it is willing to sign an extension.
• Northern Light had pledged to treat Anthem members as in network during talks, a stance Anthem called a recipe for patient confusion affecting roughly 30,000 Mainers.