Your Questions

Shannon Medical Center sent us a termination notice. If we aren’t able to reach an agreement on new contracts, Shannon Medical Center and Shannon Medical Center South Campus in San Angelo will no longer be in these provider networks as of May 23, 2025.

We’re working closely with Shannon Medical Center leadership and hope to sign new contracts before May 23. We want agreements that compensate Shannon Medical Center fairly while being good stewards of your health care dollars. We value our relationship with Shannon Medical Center, but it’s also important that the contracts we agree to are fair for our members and the local businesses we serve.

Our goal is to keep giving you access to a broad network of providers at fair prices. We watch the market closely to make sure we offer competitive rates to providers. This helps lower the cost of your premiums. As a member-owned organization, we know you expect us to protect your health care dollars. The rates we negotiate with providers impact the amount you pay. Health care is a major cost for many people, and we owe it to you to keep prices down.

We’re hopeful and believe Shannon Medical Center is as well. We’ll update this site when we have news to share.

If we can’t agree to fair terms with Shannon Medical Center, and you’d like to stay in-network for your care, we’ll be here to make your move to other hospitals or facilities in your network as seamless as possible. We have a robust network of providers to ensure you have access to quality in-network health care.

• PPO members: Not necessarily. If you have a PPO plan that provides coverage for out-of-network benefits, you can choose to get care anywhere you want, including Shannon Medical Center. Out-of-pocket costs may be higher if you do.

• HMO members: If you have an HMO plan, you must seek in-network care for your benefits to apply, except in emergencies.

• Emergency services for PPO and HMO: In the case of a life-threatening illness or injury, go to the nearest emergency facility right away. Emergency services are covered at the in-network benefit level for PPO and HMO. Your responsibility for any additional charges will depend on your health plan and applicable law. Learn about surprise billing at bcbstx.com.

No, this does not impact you. Under our standard Medicare Supplement plans, you can keep using any provider that takes Medicare at your current benefit coverage level.

This negotiation may affect Blue Cross and Blue Shield members with plans in other states who access Shannon Medical Center. Call the number on your member ID card to review your plan’s coverage or for help finding in-network options.

When scheduling future procedures, we’ll let doctors know of the possible contract expiration and work with them to avoid disrupting your care. If needed, we’ll help them transition your care or schedule procedures with other in-network hospitals or facilities.

You have choices for quality, cost-effective care. For personalized search results based on your health plan and network, you can log in to Blue Access for Members^SM. If you don’t have access to BAM, go to the website on the back of your member ID card. You can also call the number on your member ID card.

Yes. In the case of a life-threatening illness or injury, go to the nearest emergency facility right away. Emergency services are covered at your in-network benefit level. Your responsibility for any additional charges will depend on your health plan and applicable law.

If you are pregnant or being treated for a disability, acute condition or life-threatening illness, you may qualify as a continuity-of-care patient. This means you may still be able to receive care at Shannon Medical Center at in-network rates even if they are no longer in our networks.

If you are eligible for continuity of care, you will not be balance billed or have to pay more than the amount covered by your plan, even if Shannon Medical Center charges more.

If you have questions, call the number on your member ID card. Customer Advocates will help answer questions about your specific benefits and provide guidance. Your doctor may also start the continuity-of-care process by calling the prior authorization number on your member ID card.

BCBSTX members: You may start the process by completing a Request for Continued Access to Providers form or by calling the number on your member ID card. Forms should be faxed to the number on the form. Once reviewed, you or your doctor may be contacted for more information, like medical records. A decision will be made and shared with you or your doctor, most often in less than a week.

Members of other Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans: If you are a member of a Blue Plan other than BCBSTX, you may call the number on your member ID card for help.

Not necessarily. The doctors at Shannon Medical Center are not part of this negotiation.

If your doctor is not part of Shannon Medical Center but utilizes Shannon Medical Center, they may have privileges at other in-network hospitals. You can continue to see them at other in-network hospitals. We encourage you to talk with your doctors about your care options.

Additionally, some health plans allow you to choose to go out-of-network. If you do, you will pay more out-of-pocket for any care you receive by out-of-network providers or at out-of-network facilities.

If you have a procedure scheduled at Shannon Medical Center on or after May 23, 2025, please call the number on your member ID card to ask about your benefit coverage.

If you have a procedure performed before May 23, 2025, and your hospital stay goes past May 23, 2025, your care may be covered at the in-network level. We’ll work closely with Shannon Medical Center to avoid issues with your bill, so you can focus on getting better.