Beginning Oct. 1, the Mass General Brigham Health Plan will remove Dana-Farber Cancer Institute from its Medicare Advantage network.
Mass General Brigham Health Plan operates and makes network decisions “separately, independently and without influence from” the Somerville, Mass.-based Mass General Brigham, according to a health system statement shared with Becker’s.
“This change is due to the challenging environment that is impacting Medicare Advantage plans nationwide,” Jennifer St. Thomas, senior vice president of commercial and Medicare markets for Mass General Brigham Health Plan, told Becker’s. “We remain committed to ensuring access to high-quality, affordable care and are working closely with Dana-Farber to support impacted members with care planning, dedicated assistance and clear guidance throughout the transition.”
Mass General Brigham Health Plan’s commercial and MassHealth members will continue to have access to Dana-Farber providers.
About 1,000 Medicare Advantage members under the Mass General Brigham Health Plan received services from Dana-Farber providers in the past year. Those members can continue to receive care at Dana-Farber for 90 days after Oct. 1 as part of a transition period that aims to allow for treatment completion or transition of care.
“Dana-Farber’s primary concern is continuity of care for our patients. We are contacting all affected patients to discuss their options,” a Dana-Farber spokesperson told Becker’s. “We will do everything we can to mitigate the impact of MGBHP’s decision and to support the ability of our patients to obtain the care they need.”
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