Plan for Duke

Plans and coverage available on HealthCare.gov are changing for 2019.

In 2019, the Blue Local with Duke Health and WakeMed healthcare insurance plan is being discontinued by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) as of December 31, 2018. Other BCBSNC plans are not affected.

This was a decision made by BCBSNC despite our best efforts to seek continued inclusion and coverage of Duke Health in their 2019 exchange health plan. However, your current Blue Local plan will continue to cover any services or appointments that take place with your Duke physician, or provider, through December 31, 2018.

However, we’re very pleased to say that Duke plans to participate in a new 2019 exchange plan by Ambetter of North Carolina that would allow current Blue Local patients in Durham and Wake County to maintain their relationship and coverage for services of Duke physicians and services provided at Duke hospitals and facilities. We are working to finalize the Ambetter plan option and will be contacting Duke patients with information about how they can continue their Duke coverage through Ambetter prior to the beginning of the open enrollment period on November 1.

In addition, BCBSNC will offer Blue Advantage health exchange plan in Granville and Vance Counties and Duke physicians and facilities will be in-network for that plan.

Unfortunately, the decision by BCBSNC will mean that for current Blue Local patients who reside outside of Durham, Wake, Granville and Vance counties there will be no exchange insurance option that will offer access to Duke Health providers and facilities.

Duke is committed to doing everything possible to ensure the continuation of care for current Blue Local patients through the Ambetter plan, or – if needed – the seamless transfer of care to a provider in the 2019 BCBSNC option that does not include Duke. It has been, and is always, our first priority to deliver outstanding care to all of our patients and trust that we have delivered on that commitment to you.

Please check back here for more information.