Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The Horizon® name and symbols are registered marks of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. © 2025 Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. Three Penn Plaza East, Newark, New Jersey 07105. ECN0025450D (1125)
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Our Commitment
What This Change Means to You
What's Happening
We are committed to providing you with access to quality care, but it is also our role to protect you from demands that will needlessly increase the cost of that care. We regret their decision and are ready to help our members find another in-network doctor to get the care and services they need, if necessary.
If you need help, you can call us at the number on the back of your member ID card.
If you are an existing patient of Lifeline, you will need to select a new in-network doctor to keep your costs low.
Remember, even if your health plan includes out-of-network benefits, you pay less out of your pocket when you go to doctors, hospitals and other health care professionals that are in network for your health plan.
If you are pregnant, you may continue to see your doctor. Please talk to your doctor about continuing your care.
Beginning Xxxxxx X, 2025, Hackensack Meridian Health hospitals may be out of network.
HMH has been an important partner and we have a long and positive relationship with them. We are optimistic that we'll reach a new agreement before they would go out of network on (DATE).
Lifeline Medical Associates Has Notified Horizon They Plan to Leave Our Network
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Beginning December 15, 2025, Lifeline may be out of network.
We are currently negotiating with Lifeline. However, they are demanding that we meet unreasonable, higher-than-average reimbursement rates and refuse to accept what we believe to be our fair and reasonable rates.
We know that access to your doctor is important. We regret their decision to terminate from our network.
Here Are the Facts:
Hospital care accounts for nearly 40% of health care spending in New Jersey. That’s why controlling price increases for hospital care is necessary to make health care more affordable.
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Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The Horizon® name and symbols are registered marks of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. © 2025 Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. Three Penn Plaza East, Newark, New Jersey 07105. ECN0023230A (0125)
HorizonBlue.com
Lifeline Medical Associates (Lifeline) has chosen to terminate its contract with Horizon and is threatening to leave our members without coverage as of December 15, 2025 unless we agree to significant and unreasonable increases for care.
Horizon has consistently been providing fair and reasonable cost-of-living-based increases in the rates that we pay Lifeline. These increases are consistent with the rates we pay doctors in other practices similar to Lifeline.
We are again offering Lifeline a rate increase – one that is higher than the current rate of inflation. Unfortunately, Lifeline began negotiations seeking a one-year increase of 13.5% and is now demanding more than double the current rate of inflation.
We understand how important your Lifeline doctor is to you. At the same time, we must balance that with the need to get health care costs under control and make them more affordable for all our members.
Their demand can cost our members $3.2 million.
Horizon has offered Lifeline a rate increase higher than the current rate of inflation.