Where you receive your care, and from whom, should not be dictated by your insurance plan.
For more than 118 years, Memorial Hermann Health System has proudly served our community, providing personalized, compassionate and high-quality care. Whether in our hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, outpatient clinics or urgent care centers, the Greater Houston community trusts us, and we take that very seriously.
Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, Memorial Hermann employees and providers come to work with one shared purpose: to improve the health of all those we serve. Fulfilling that mission depends on patients and the community being able to receive care from caregivers they know and trust.
We are currently negotiating for renewed agreements with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX), exhausting efforts to come to terms before the April 1 expiration so we can remain an in-network provider for its members.
We urge BCBSTX to engage constructively and bring forward a proposal that values patients, respects caregivers and preserves access to care.
To learn more about the status of our current contract negotiations with BCBSTX, please read on.
Update on Our Ongoing Negotiations with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas
Memorial Hermann initiated contract renewal discussions with BCBSTX well in advance of our contract renewal date of April 1, 2026. These are routine and necessary discussions so that both parties can establish terms that support long-term access to affordable, high-quality care for our patients and the communities we serve.
Memorial Hermann is actively negotiating with BCBSTX for renewed agreements that cover the care we deliver to patients who have commercial and Blue Advantage Marketplace health plans.
As you may be aware, Memorial Hermann terminated its relationship with BCBSTX effective Jan. 1, 2026, solely for the Medicare Advantage plans. With Annual Enrollment just ending on Dec. 7, 2025, and Open Enrollment having begun on Jan. 1, 2026, and continuing through March 31, 2026, we hope you were able to and can still evaluate all MA plan options if interested in remaining with Memorial Hermann facilities and employed and affiliated physicians.
Contract negotiations between health insurance companies and health care providers are routine and provide an important opportunity to reevaluate and update terms to ensure fairness, competitiveness and alignment with current market realities.
As always, we are approaching this negotiation with BCBSTX in good faith and with a collaborative intent – we are seeking fair and reasonable terms that support our providers and workforce and maintain the standard of care our community expects from Memorial Hermann.
As we work with BCBSTX to reach new contract terms, BCBSTX members may continue to receive care at Memorial Hermann hospitals and facilities, and with our employed and affiliated physicians, through March 31, 2026.
Our priority is to maintain in-network access for BCBSTX members without compromising our standards of excellence, quality and service.
What This Means for Your Care
It’s important to note that nothing changes for you right now. You can, and should, continue scheduling appointments and receiving treatment for care as you normally would.
Maintaining Access to Care, April 1 and Beyond
We recognize that you may have questions regarding the scheduling of services after March 31 if we do not reach an agreement with BCBSTX and our providers and facilities are no longer in-network for its members.
If you are pregnant or being treated for a disability, acute condition or life-threatening illness, you may qualify as a Continuity of Care patient and be able to receive care at Memorial Hermann at in-network rates with BCBSTX.
To Determine If You Are Eligible:
- Complete a Continuity of Care Request Form or contact the number on your BCBSTX member ID card.
- Fax the completed form to the number provided on the form.
- BCBSTX may contact you or your provider for additional information.
We have requested coordination with BCBSTX to streamline these requests as much as possible to ensure our patients’ access is not impacted should new agreements not be reached. We are hopeful they will engage.
How You Can Advocate for Your Care
Take action today. Your voice matters and can make a difference. Don’t let Blue Cross Blue Shield cross out your care.
- Call the number on the back of your BCBSTX member ID card and tell them you want Memorial Hermann to remain in network. Share how important uninterrupted access to your doctors and care teams is to you and your family.
- You may also contact your employer’s Human Resources department to express how important continued access to Memorial Hermann is to you.
Please see below for more frequently asked questions, or don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of your care team for any additional questions or concerns.
Thank you for continuing to trust Memorial Hermann with your health. It remains our privilege to serve you.
Frequently Asked Questions
In late summer 2025, Memorial Hermann began negotiating with BCBSTX for renewed hospital, ancillary, and physician network contracts, which impact the PPO/POS, HMO and Blue Advantage Marketplace networks.
As part of the routine negotiation process with BCBSTX, Memorial Hermann issued a formal notice of termination of these contracts for Memorial Hermann and BCBSTX to align on new terms well in advance of the contract end date on April 1, 2026.
Nothing changes for patients right now. You can, and should, continue scheduling appointments and receiving treatment for care as you normally would.
We remain committed to reaching new agreements with BCBSTX to prevent any unnecessary disruption in the high-quality care provided to our patients, and we expect BCBSTX to do the same by engaging in meaningful discussions to protect its members’ and our patients’ in-network access to Memorial Hermann.
If we do not reach an agreement with BCBSTX and our providers and facilities are no longer in-network for its members, we recognize that you may have questions regarding the scheduling of services after March 31.
If you are pregnant or being treated for a disability, acute condition or life-threatening illness, you may qualify as a Continuity of Care patient and be able to receive care at Memorial Hermann at in-network rates with BCBSTX.
To Determine If You Are Eligible:
- Complete a Continuity of Care Request Form or contact the number on your BCBSTX member ID card.
- Fax the completed form to the number provided on the form.
- BCBSTX may contact you or your provider for additional information.
We are working with BCBSTX to streamline these requests as much as possible to ensure our patients’ access is not impacted should new agreements not be reached.
As always, we are approaching this negotiation with BCBSTX in good faith and with a collaborative intent – we are seeking fair and reasonable terms that support our providers and workforce and maintain the standard of care our community expects from Memorial Hermann.
We have successfully negotiated with BCBSTX for more than 20 years, and while we do not anticipate any disruption, we are prepared for all possibilities.
We urge BCBSTX to engage constructively and bring forward a proposal that values patients, respects caregivers and preserves access to care.
If an agreement cannot be reached by March 31, 2026, Memorial Hermann will be forced out of BCBSTX’s network, effective April 1, 2026. We expect that BCBSTX will work in good faith with us to ensure our contracts do not expire.
All Memorial Hermann hospitals, joint-ventured facilities, clinics, urgent care centers, and employed and affiliated physicians would be impacted if the contracts between Memorial Hermann and BCBSTX expire. Emergency care would not be impacted. Patients seeking emergency medical care should continue to seek treatment at any of Memorial Hermann’s hospitals and/or Emergency Centers.
BCBSTX products in the following networks would be impacted: PPO/POS, HMO, and Blue Advantage Marketplace networks.
As discussions with BCBSTX continue to evolve, Memorial Hermann will provide updates to all patients who may be impacted. Also, please continue to check back here for the latest developments.
No. Our negotiations with BCBSTX only impact those who have a BCBSTX insurance plan or an out-of-state BCBS insurance plan accessing the local BCBSTX contracted provider networks.
Please contact the Member Services number on the back of your plan Member ID Card to confirm.
Contact Us
This website will provide our patients and community with the most up-to-date information regarding our negotiations with BCBSTX. If you did not find the information you need or have questions about the ongoing negotiations with BCBSTX and how your care may be impacted, please email ManagedCareBCBSTX@memorialhermann.org.