(LISTEN): MU Health Care chief operating officer Tonya Johnson discusses Anthem issue on "Wake Up Missouri"

Columbia-based MU Health Care has established a dedicated call center to answer your questions, after the failure of MU Health Care and Anthem to reach an agreement to renew their contracts. MU Health Care’s facilities, including its seven hospitals and 1,200 providers, are now out of Anthem’s commercial network, effective today. The contract expired Monday night. MU Health Care says this means patients may have to pay more out of pocket to see MU Health Care doctors or may need to find a new, in-network provider for their care. MU Health Care chief operating officer Tonya Johnson joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Missouri" to discuss the issue. Ms. Johnson tells listeners that MU Health Care is open to coming back to the table. But she emphasizes that they need to see something meaningful from Anthem. You can call MU Health Care’s dedicated call center weekdays from 8 am to 6 pm. That number is (573) 650-5409. MU Health Care is blasting Anthem, saying its actions have put members, MU Health Care’s patients, in a troublesome and frustrating situation. Anthem has criticized MU Health Care. Anthem released a statement on Monday which says MU Health Care’s proposed price increases would increase healthcare costs “many times faster than wage growth for Missouri consumers.” Anthem says it cannot agree to price increases like this for its members. We asked Ms. Johnson about Anthem's statements, and she is saddened by them: