Could arbitration help settle dispute?
Thank you for Sunday columns by representatives of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and CHI Memorial Health System about their standoff. Although they criticize each other’s negotiating tactics, they espouse similar objectives and values. The main disagreement is about whether the future rate of payments to CHI would be above, at, or below market average.
The facts about rates of payment should not be that hard to verify if the relevant data is made available to a suitable outside party such as a knowledgeable consultant or an arbitration panel. The outside party could then render a judgment regarding the real facts. It does not look like this has been done. Why not?
While both make vague claims without providing factual evidence, they hide the reality, prompt questions about their motives and jeopardize the trust which patients have placed in them.
Bob Taylor