7,000 local patients could soon have to change their doctors and hospitals

Thousands of patients in a local healthcare system may be forced to switch doctors in just a few days. It’s all because of a looming deadline with their insurance company.

Aultman Health System and Humana have been in contract negotiations but if there’s no agreement by Monday, July 1, then patients might have some hard decisions to make. This has the potential to affect 7,000 patients in five Ohio counties.

Jeanne Berring, 76, from Homeworth, loves her plants and loves pruning them. However, there’s one thing that could be cut out in her life that she doesn’t like. “Almost makes you want to just punch the system as much as you can,” said Berring.

You see, she’s on Humana insurance for her medicare plan, and she drives about a half-hour to receive a lot of care at Aultman Hospital in Canton. She’s been informed through letters that if Humana and Aultman can’t come to an agreement, she might be out of luck.

“We know that changing your provider can be very difficult,” Berring read to us from one of the letters. “Aultman Hospital will no longer participate in the Humana Medicare Network (if negotiations fail).”

She moved from Florida back to the Homeworth area two years ago, and trying to find new doctors and services then was “horrible.”

“I called, and I called. I cannot tell you, I mean seven or eight different counselors and it would be two months,” said Berring.

“(There were) good conversations early on and, unfortunately, (they) have hit an impasse,” said Adam Luntz. He’s the Senior Vice President of Finance for Aultman. He told us they’ve been in negotiations with Humana for six months, but recently, there’s been a lack of communication with Humana.

“This is a unique example in that we’ve been negotiating and not come to an agreement,” said Luntz. “We’ve never had an agreement come to this point.”

Aultman has set up a hotline at 330-363-0475 for people to call and find out their options. He said patients who are going through active treatment cycles can finish those. But for new care, he told us Aultman is committed to helping with new options. “I feel that we’re in a very unfortunate situation,” said Luntz. “And I feel, I feel for the patients.”

Patients like Berring are dreading a decision of whether to cut ties with Aultman. “It’s the first time I’ve made an issue about anything in my life,” said Berring.

“It means that much to you?” we asked.

“It means that much to me,” Berring said.

News 5 Investigators reached out to Humana earlier this week and today. So far, there’s been no response.