Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas drops coverage at two dozen major North Texas hospitals
This story has been updated to include a statements from Southwest Heath Resources and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas.
Negotiators from Texas’ biggest health insurer and a major North Texas hospital network failed to reach an agreement on a new contract by their April 1 deadline.
As a result, policyholders of several Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas plans no longer have Texas Health Harris Methodist, Texas Health Presbyterian and UT Southwestern hospitals, among others, in their network coverage.
“Our contracts with Southwestern Health Resources in North Texas expired on April 1, 2025,” read the text on a web page about the negotiations on the BCBSTX website Tuesday morning. “During the past several months, we worked closely with SWHR to try to negotiate new contracts. Unfortunately, we couldn’t reach agreements that protect the interests of our members and customers.”
Negotiations are ongoing, according to a SWHR spokesperson.
“Despite months of negotiations, BCBSTX remained unwilling to accept Southwestern Health Resources’ requests for equitable reimbursement to cover the rising costs of providing quality care,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “Our goal is to minimize any disruption to patient care and help guide patients affected by this transition to in-network providers. Active negotiations continue and we are committed to finding a resolution in the best interests of our patients and providers.”
BCBSTX members still have access to “a robust network of hospitals, facilities, doctors, and health care professionals in North Texas,” a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
“We understand and are sensitive to the difficulties hospitals are facing with labor, supply, and other cost pressures. Unfortunately, we couldn’t reach an agreement that protects the interests of our members and customers, who are facing those same pressures,” the spokesperson said. “We value SWHR’s services and remain committed to reaching an agreement that appropriately balances the concern with affordability and access for our members.”
As a result of the contract’s expiration, over two dozen major North Texas hospitals are no longer in-network for the following BCBSTX plans:
ParPlan
Blue Choice PPO
Blue Essentials
Blue Advantage HMO
Medicaid
Blue Cross Medicare Advantage (PPO)
Blue Cross Medicare Advantage (HMO)
The loss of coverage also includes 15 behavioral health facilities, 28 imaging and diagnostic centers, 15 surgery centers, two physician groups and one urgent care center in the Metroplex.
BCBSTX covers more than 10.4 million people statewide.
A BCBSTX spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment.
The Star-Telegram will update this story with their comments as they come in.
A BCBSTX policyholder reached out to the Star-Telegram early Tuesday morning. She had a medical procedure scheduled for April 11 canceled as a result of the contract’s expiration, and will have to find a new doctor.
“You are our priority,” the BCBSTX web page says.
BCBSTX members can check what medical centers are now in their networks on the company’s online portal. Those who don’t have access to it should go to the website on the back of their insurance card or call the customer service number on it, the site says.
This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 10:01 AM.
