In Blue Cross, Cone fight, everybody else losing
The apparent impasse in contract negotiations between Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Moses Cone Health System that is being played out in the media is an unfortunate distraction from the more important responsibility of taking care of patients.
It does not serve patients' interests well when the focus shifts away from patient care and onto secondary players around the patient, such as the payer, BCBS or the hospital provider, MCHS, or others.
The repetitive and expensive public proclamations by each organization is an incredibly wasteful jousting process. It consumes financial resources and human talent in a sideshow with no value. It is not putting patients first. BCBS-NC and MCHS should end their public battle and should privately come to terms that will ensure the continued availability of high-quality patient care in Greensboro.
Dean Mitchell, M.D.
Greensboro
The writer is president, Eagle Physicians & Assoc., PA.