Anthem and Northern Light Health announce new agreement

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By staff

Northern Light Health and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine (Anthem) have reached an agreement that will provide in-network access to all Northern Light Health hospitals, clinics, and providers for Anthem health plan members, including those enrolled in employer-sponsored, individual, and Medicare Advantage health plans.

The new agreement applies to Anthem members across Maine who use Northern Light Health for healthcare.

“This new agreement allows our patients to continue receiving high-quality care from the providers they know and trust. Northern Light Health has long been a reliable source of care in Maine and will remain that for generations to come. Throughout the negotiations we kept our patients’ needs at the forefront, and we will continue to advocate for them and the communities we serve,” said R. Guy Hudson, MD, President and CEO of Northern Light Health, said in a press release.

Mainers had been on edge about the possible loss of coverage. The insurer and hospital network had been in negotiations since early summer.

“Anthem is deeply committed to ensuring Mainers have broad access to the care they need at prices they can afford,” said Denise McDonough, President of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine, according to the release. “We’re pleased to have reached an agreement that keeps Northern Light Health in-network for our members and helps us continue delivering on our promise to improve lives and strengthen the health of our Maine communities.”

The multi-year contract takes effect retroactively to November 1, 2025, meaning any care delivered since Nov. 1 will be treated as in-network for Anthem members.

Citing “confidentiality agreements,” the two entities declined to offer specific contractual details of the new arrangement.

The deal affects 30,000 Anthem customers within the Northern Light system, according to the hospital network’s spokesperson Karen Sanborn.