Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) said Monday that it will be forced to exclude Maricopa County’s Abrazo Community Health Network as a provider if a pricing agreement cannot be reached by the end of the year.

This potential development would not affect Medicare beneficiaries but may impact BCBSAZ members under individual, group and FEP plans. Health care consumers with standing appointments at an Abrazo provider’s place of business are asked to seek in-network alternatives, whether by talking to their physicians or by searching online at www.azblue.com/findadoctor.

BCBSAZ said it contracts with 31 other hospitals, 130 urgent care centers and 73 independent Maricopa County facilities. Additionally, Arizona consumers may call the phone number listed on the back of their ID cards.

BCBSAZ said it opposes what it considers unduly high price increases requested by Abrazo. If BCBSAZ were to accede to Abrazo’s demands, certain procedures would more than double in price. The company remains committed to ensuring that both practitioners and patients receive all the help needed during the transition.

"Members look to BCBSAZ to secure the lowest possible pricing for their families,” BCBSAZ Senior Vice President Jeff Stelnik said. “By negotiating what hospitals and physicians charge for services, members can get care at more reasonable costs than they would without BCBSAZ working on their behalf."