Blue KC FAQs
What are NKC Health and Blue KC negotiating?
Like health systems everywhere, NKC Health continues to face economic challenges caused by historic levels of inflation. Between 2022 and 2024 alone, inflation increased by 14.1%, significantly raising the cost of providing care, while our reimbursement from Blue KC has stayed the same since 2021. Rising administrative burdens, prior authorization requirements, and denials make it harder for patients to get the care they need and for our teams to focus on what matters most: delivering excellent care. To help withstand these impacts and ensure the sustainability of our mission and care to you, our patient, we need Blue KC to agree to contracts that pay us fairly for the care we provide to our community.
If we are not able to reach an agreement by May 31, 2026, NKC Health locations and services will be out-of-network for Blue KC insurance plans on June 1, 2026.
Should Blue KC not agree to fair rates and terms by May 31, 2026, NKC Health will be forced out-of-network for Blue KC insurance plans starting June 1, 2026.
All NKC Health services and facilities would be impacted. However, if you have a medical emergency, you should always go to the nearest emergency room. Health plans like Blue KC are required to cover emergency services provided at any hospital’s emergency department, including those that are not in the health plan’s network.
All Blue KC Commercial and Blue KC ACA/Health Exchange insurance plans will be impacted if an agreement is not reached by June 1, 2026.
Medicare Advantage products and Healthy Blue are not impacted by this negotiation.
Blue Cross Blue Shield plans participate in the Blue Card program, which allows members to receive care outside of their home state. If you receive care at NKC Health, your claims may be processed through Blue KC, even if your insurance card lists another state. If NKC Health becomes out of network with Blue KC, members of out of area Blue plans may also be impacted. We encourage you to contact your insurance carrier at the number on the back of your card.
Our goal is to resolve the negotiation as soon as possible, without any impact to our patients. We hope Blue KC will have the same sense of urgency and will collaborate to resolve the negotiation quickly and fairly.
If NKC Health is forced out-of-network, Blue KC members won’t be able to receive in-network care at NKC Health facilities. For many patients, this means they will have to pay more out-of-pocket to continue visiting NKC Health. In some circumstances, Blue KC won’t cover any services provided at NKC Health (except emergency services).
Please remember that if a patient has a medical emergency, they should go to the nearest emergency room. Health plans like Blue KC are required to cover emergency services provided at any hospital’s emergency department, including those that are not in the health plan’s network.
Call Blue KC at the number on the back of your insurance card to express your concern and advocate to keep NKC Health in-network. We also encourage you to find out if you have out-of-network benefits under your Blue KC health plan, and how your out-of-pocket costs may be impacted if you receive out-of-network services at NKC Health after May 31, 2026. If you receive insurance through your employer, talk to your Human Resources department. Let them know that you would like to discuss your options to preserve in-network access to the high-quality whole-person care at NKC Health.
You will always have access to emergency care, regardless of network status. If you or a loved one is experiencing a medical emergency, please go to the nearest location immediately. Health plans like Blue KC are required to cover emergency services provided at any hospital’s emergency department, including those that are not in the health plan’s network.
NKC Health patients with certain conditions or critical care needs, such as pregnancy or care for chronic or complex illnesses, may be eligible for Continuity of Care. This would provide patients approved by Blue KC the opportunity to continue seeing their current care team at in-network rates for a certain period, even if NKC Health is out-of-network with Blue KC.
Patients must apply for Continuity of Care through Blue KC. Blue KC will review and approve or deny those applications on a case-by-case basis. Blue KC is legally required to extend coverage for certain patients. We cannot predict how long the approval process for Continuity of Care claims may take, so please contact Blue KC immediately to better understand their process and ensure your care is not interrupted.
For now, nothing has changed to your in-network coverage. Please continue to access care at NKC Health as you normally would.
If Blue KC is unwilling to reach an agreement, beginning June 1, 2026, NKC Health locations and services will be out-of-network for Blue KC insurance. This means you may have to pay more out-of-pocket for the care you need or find a new health system for your care at a time when healthcare access can be challenging.
Some patients may qualify for Continuity of Care benefits. Please contact Blue KC to learn whether you qualify and to apply for extended coverage through Blue KC. You can contact Blue KC at the number on the back of your insurance card. We cannot predict how long the approval process for Continuity of Care claims may take, so please contact Blue KC immediately to better understand their process and ensure your care is not interrupted.
Call Blue KC at the number on the back of your insurance card and tell them how important it is to you to keep NKC Health in-network.
NKC Health participates with all the large insurance carriers. Those plans are listed here.
For more information on the progress of the negotiation, please continue to visit this page, and be sure to read emails and any other communications from NKC Health for important updates.