DEAR EDITOR:

As a Youngstown native, I wanted to care for the community that raised me. When the opportunity to serve the Mahoning Valley as an internal medicine physician presented itself in 2005, I answered the call. For the last 20 years, I have lived in the Mahoning Valley as a physician, an active member of our community, and a parent of children at St. Christine School and Ursuline High School.

This is why I’m concerned about the challenge Mercy Health is having with its ongoing negotiations with Cigna. Our team has been negotiating in good faith for several months to secure fair reimbursements for the care we provide, but we have been unable to reach an agreement.

If Mercy Health is forced out of the Cigna network, our more than 5,500 of our commercially insured patients will need to find new doctors or be forced to pay higher out-of-network costs on April 1. It is painful to hear patients are now worried about finding new doctors when the care they need and expect is already here at Mercy Health.

As providers of care in this community, my colleagues and I are here to help our Valley neighbors continue seeing their Mercy Health providers. To help us reach a resolution with Cigna, we ask our patients take two important steps:

Call Cigna at the number on the back of your insurance card and let them know how important it is for you to keep Mercy Health doctors in-network. I want to continue to serve my patients, and the fact that insurance companies are making decisions for you about who you can see for care is disheartening.

Work with your provider to see if you might be eligible for Continuity of Care. Certain conditions — chronic or complex illnesses or pregnancy – may be eligible for Continuity of Care, allowing approved patients the opportunity to see their current care team at in-network rates, even if Mercy Health is out of network. Patients can work with their providers to request a Continuity of Care provision from Cigna, and Cigna alone will decide whether to approve or deny the request.

Doctor-patient relationships are key to good health, and I sincerely hope we can move forward with Cigna to serve our patients for years to come.

DR. JIM KRAVEC

Chief Clinical Officer

Mercy Health — Lorain and Youngstow