In the remote town of Battle Mountain, nestled in the heart of north-central Nevada, the challenges facing small, rural hospitals like its local facility have become all too evident. With the proliferation of Medicare Advantage plans private health insurance companies have been approaching these hospitals to offer contracts, allowing their enrollees to access healthcare services.
However, Battle Mountain Hospital’s Chief Executive, William Bleak, stood his ground when representatives from these insurance companies came knocking. “Come back to the table with a better offer,” Bleak told them. Regrettably, those representatives never returned.
Situated about a three-hour drive from Reno and four hours from Salt Lake City, the hospital serves a region with a sparse population of seniors. It appears that insurance companies have not enrolled enough local seniors to warrant including the hospital in their network.
Medicare Advantage insurers are private entities that partner with the federal government to deliver Medicare benefits to seniors, serving as an alternative to traditional Medicare. Yet, this expansion of Medicare Advantage has introduced a complex web of financial challenges for both large and small hospitals. Hospital administrators frequently report that these insurers are sluggish in their payment processing or, in some cases, simply do not reimburse for the healthcare services provided.
For small, rural hospitals like Battle Mountain Hospital, these challenges underscore the need for a nuanced approach to ensure their sustainability and continued service to local communities. As the landscape of healthcare insurance evolves, such hospitals face growing pressure to find solutions that enable them to navigate the complex terrain of payment and reimbursement.
