Cigna Healthcare and Baptist Health Jacksonville

What You Need to Know

May 22, 2026

Cigna Healthcare and Baptist Health Jacksonville have been engaged in active, regular contract negotiations. Network negotiations are a normal and recurring part of the management of health care and are intended to balance fair provider reimbursement with affordability for patients, employers, and families. While our discussions continue, if we are unable to reach an agreement, Baptist Health Jacksonville will no longer be part of the Cigna Healthcare network as of June 24, 2026.

We want Baptist Health Jacksonville to stay in our network, but we cannot agree to terms that would make care less affordable for you and your family and reduce important safeguards that help ensure care is billed and paid for appropriately.

Please keep in mind:

• Your Baptist Health doctors and hospitals will continue to be in network through June 23, 2026.
• We remain committed to good-faith discussions with Baptist Health Jacksonville, and we are meeting with them regularly to reach a fair and reasonable agreement.
• Our goal remains to keep care affordable for you, your family, and local employers, while ensuring access to care in the Jacksonville community.

We’re here to help you understand what this network change could mean for you, how to navigate your coverage, and to learn more about potential Continuity of Care options. If you have questions or need support, contact us 24/7/365.

Who will be affected?

If Baptist Health Jacksonville chooses to leave our network, Cigna Healthcare customers with PPO, OAP, GPPO, HMO, and Local Plus plans will be affected.

Any services delivered by these providers would be covered at an out-of-network benefit level (if your plan has out-of-network benefits). Seeking care from out-of-network facilities and providers will lead to higher costs, which is why we encourage you to seek care from in-network providers.

What facilities and physician practices will be out-of-network if no agreement is reached?

• Baptist Medical Center
• Wolfson Children’s Hospital
• Baptist Medical Center South
• Baptist Medical Center Nassau
• Baptist Medical Center at the Beaches
• Baptist Clay
• Baptist Cardiology, Inc. d/b/a Baptist Heart Specialists
• Baptist ENT Specialists, Inc.
• Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Physicians, Inc.
• Baptist Specialty Physicians, Inc. d/b/a Wolfson Children's Specialty Services
• Baptist Neurology, Inc.
• Baptist Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inc.
• Baptist Primary Care, Inc.
• Baptist Pulmonary Specialists, Inc.
• Baptist Urology, Inc.
• Lyerly Baptist, Inc.

Where can I access in-network care if Baptist Health Jacksonville leaves our network? 

Facilities	Nearby in-network facilities	City, State	Distance from affiliated facility
Baptist Medical Center	Ascension St Vincent's Riverside	Jacksonville, FL	3 miles
	UF Health Jacksonville	Jacksonville, FL	3 miles
	HCA Florida Memorial Hospital	Jacksonville, FL	4 miles
Wolfson Children's Hospital*	Ascension St Vincent's Riverside	Jacksonville, FL	3 miles
	UF Health Jacksonville	Jacksonville, FL	3 miles
	HCA Florida Memorial Hospital	Jacksonville, FL	4 miles
	UF Health Shands Hospital	Gainesville, FL	71 miles
Baptist Medical Center South	Ascension St Vincent's Southside	Jacksonville, FL	10 miles
	Mayo Clinic	Jacksonville, FL	16 miles
	HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital	Orange Park, FL	16 miles
Baptist Medical Center Clay	HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital	Orange Park, FL	9 miles
	Ascension St Vincent's Clay	Middleburg, FL	18 miles
	Mayo Clinic	Jacksonville, FL	31 miles
Baptist Medical Center of the Beaches	Mayo Clinic	Jacksonville, FL	5 miles
	Ascension St Vincent's Southside	Jacksonville, FL	13 miles
	HCA Florida Memorial Hospital	Jacksonville, FL	22 miles
Baptist Medical Center Nassau	UF Health North	Jacksonville, FL	26 miles
	Southeast Georgia Health System	St Mary's, GA	27 miles
	Ascension St Vincent's Riverside	Jacksonville, FL	37 miles

* If Baptist Jacksonville leaves the network, we understand that some families may need to travel for highly specialized pediatric care. We will work closely with impacted customers through our Continuity of Care process to review each case and help support their care needs.

Why is this happening?

We’re negotiating with Baptist Health Jacksonville about how prices are set for your care. Baptist Health Jacksonville is already more expensive than alternative providers in the community; on average, they currently cost about 40% more than local alternatives, and they are asking to be paid more.

On top of that, they are demanding a pricing model that is out of step with the market and does not align with the more predictable approaches used by most providers and payers today. Baptist Health Jacksonville is asking to be paid as a percentage of whatever it bills for a service, rather than agreeing to a clear, upfront price for that service. In addition, they want to limit programs we apply to ensure care is billed and paid for appropriately. These programs do not change how care decisions are made.

It’s important to consider who ultimately pays for Baptist Health Jacksonville’s services. Any increases in reimbursement are ultimately borne by both employers, through higher plan costs, and by patients, through higher payroll contributions or out‑of‑pocket costs when they seek care. That’s why we’re focused on pricing that promotes overall sustainability, with clear guardrails to help manage cost growth over time. Without these guardrails, costs are more likely to rise faster and become less manageable for employers and members over the long term.

What if I am admitted before June 24, 2026, but my stay continues past this date?

As long as we have approved your stay, the services you receive will be covered at the in-network benefit level, even if you stay after Baptist Health Jacksonville has left the network.

What if I am receiving ongoing treatment on June 24?

You may be eligible for Continuity of Care. This program allows you to continue in-network coverage for certain medical and behavioral treatment provided by Baptist Health Jacksonville for a defined period of time even after the hospital leaves our network. More information on Continuity of Care may be found below.

I've been approved for services that start on or after June 24, 2026. What should I do?

Please contact us at the toll-free number on your Cigna Healthcare ID card. Our Customer Service Advocate will help you get approval for treatment at another hospital in your network. We can also work with you to determine if you’re eligible for Continuity of Care.

What if my specialist provider admits patients only to Baptist Health Jacksonville?

Some specialist physicians who only admit to Baptist Health Jacksonville will need to obtain admitting privileges at another in-network hospital, or they will be removed from the Cigna Healthcare network. If your physician leaves the network, you will receive a separate letter, and you’ll need to choose a new specialist who is in the Cigna Healthcare network to continue receiving in-network benefits for services.

What about emergency care?

Your emergency care services will be covered at the in-network level under your plan’s emergency room coverage. If you’re admitted to the hospital from the emergency room, your stay will be covered at the in-network level until you’re stable and ready to be transferred to an in-network hospital.

What is the Continuity of Care program, and how do I determine if I qualify?

The Continuity of Care program allows you to continue to get in-network coverage for certain medical and behavioral treatment at the hospital for a specific period of time — even after the hospital and/or providers leave your plan’s Cigna Healthcare network. To find out more about Continuity of Care and submitting a Continuity of Care form:

• Contact us toll-free at the number on your Cigna Healthcare ID card or 1.800.244.6224.
  • Let our Customer Service Advocate know that you’re in the middle of treatment and want to see if you qualify for Continuity of Care. We’ll work with you to see if you’re eligible and help you complete the forms.
• Visit Cigna.com
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Find a Form.
• Select Medical Forms and then choose Transition of Care/Continuity of Care Form.
• Print and fill out the Transition of Care/Continuity of Care Request Form
• Mail it to the address noted on the form.

Once you submit the request form, Cigna Healthcare will send you a letter with our decision. If you have any questions, we’re happy to help. Please contact us at the number on your Cigna Healthcare ID card. Customer Service Advocates are available 24/7

How long will Continuity of Care services be covered at the in-network rate?

If your care was authorized before June 24, 2026, you may be able to receive in-network coverage for care from the hospital and/or your provider for up to ninety (90) days. If you’re pregnant and undergoing a course of treatment for pregnancy through the postpartum period before June 24, 2026, you may be able to continue to receive care from the hospital and/or your provider at the in-network rate for the remainder of your pregnancy, as well as during your post-partum care.

If your health care professional is also no longer in your plan’s Cigna Healthcare network as a result of this termination, he or she can submit a request to Cigna Healthcare to continue coverage of your care at the in-network rate.