Editor’s Note: Anthem Medicaid Members were cut off from Mercy Health on July 1. Anthem Medicare members are at risk for out-of-network designation October 1. We regret the error.

(WKBN) – There are differences of opinions tonight on who’s to blame for Mercy Health threatening to make Anthem Ohio Managed Medicare plans out of network unless Anthem increases reimbursements to keep up with inflation.

If there’s no deal by October 1, the out-of-network designation will go into effect.

In a statement on Thursday, Mercy Health claimed it has “experienced significant… cost challenges over the last several years… We aren’t the only ones shouldering the burden of Anthem’s practices… It can take patients months to years to receive final statements.”

Anthem then responded by saying, “The current contract… was set to expire January 1, 2025 and includes annual increases… However, [Mercy Health] is now demanding increases that are three times the current inflation rate… We are assisting our… members to transition… to one of the many… health systems in our network.”