BayCare and Florida Blue Reach New Agreement

BayCare Health System has reached a new, multi-year agreement with Florida Blue to protect the region’s access to BayCare hospitals, services and its specialty physician network. In particular, the new multi-year agreement ensures that the same access to high-quality, compassionate care West Central Florida has come to expect from BayCare will also be available to Florida Blue members who reside in Manatee County, where BayCare is building the county’s only not-for-profit hospital in Palmetto to open in 2028.

“Negotiations can be challenging; especially as both parties advocate for those we serve. We are pleased to have an agreement with Florida Blue that will benefit our communities for years to come,” said BayCare President and CEO Stephanie Conners. “We are committed to fulfilling our mission in improving the lives of all we serve and worked tirelessly to ensure patients have access to our extraordinary providers and services.”

The new agreement that begins Wednesday, Oct. 1, covers all of BayCare’s 16 hospitals, its vast ambulatory network and BayCare Medical Group, the region’s largest multi-specialty physician group. Most of Florida Blue’s members will see no interruption in service under the new agreement. But for a small subset of Florida Blue’s members who are enrolled in Florida Blue’s Medicare Advantage plan, the agreement will formally close access to BayCare’s primary care physicians/providers (PCP). Specialty physicians, however, remain accessible to all Florida Blue members, including its Medicare Advantage plan members.

Florida Blue Medicare Advantage patients who want to keep their BayCare PCP may want to consider their options during Medicare’s open enrollment period for 2026 that begins Oct. 15. Each year, Medicare enrollees can choose between traditional Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan. Patients can find a list of Medicare Advantage plans that cover BayCare physicians and providers, as well as other BayCare services at this link: Insurance Plans Accepted 

For more information, visit KeepBayCare.org.

Watch the Spanish-language version of the video here.