Northern Light Health asks Anthem to keep pace with costs of patient care

Date: 06/04/2025

Brewer, ME (June 4, 2025) — Northern Light Health reports that talks with Anthem to negotiate new terms for their contract, set to expire on September 30, 2025, have stalled. Northern Light Health has informed Anthem that unless they agree to a contract with adequate reimbursement, their contract will expire on September 30, 2025.

Once expired, the healthcare system would move out-of-network for those with Anthem plans. For the next four months, Northern Light Health will focus on helping patients and group policy holders understand their options to access the services they need if the contract expires.

“For years, Anthem has cited rising costs of care to justify increasing the premiums paid by their customers, while our reimbursements from Anthem have seen an average annual increase of less than 1.5%. The annual inflation rate for health services has averaged more than 7.5%. Anthem’s unwillingness to keep pace with the costs of providing care directly contribute to the risks facing rural healthcare,” shares James Rohrbaugh, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Reimbursement for services is necessary to keep hospitals, practices, and services open and staffed.

As the largest commercial insurer in Maine, Anthem plays a critical role in the sustainability of health services in the state. While Anthem payment denials for care already provided to patients have measurably increased, Anthem increased its profit margin in Maine by nearly 10% in 2024.

More information and resources can be found online at https://northernlighthealth.org/anthem. Patients with questions specific to their care and coverage can email [email protected] or call 1-888-616-0039.