BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

Updated 1/5/24 at 9:12 a.m.

MASSENA -- North Country residents who have health insurance through Excellus BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) will now have to pay out of pocket for medical care at WellNow clinics after the insurance giant and urgent care provider failed to strike a deal.

WellNow, which operates urgent care clinics in Massena and Ogdensburg, said the crux of the issue was due to reimbursement rates for services provided.

The two sites, which have been open for a little over a year now, have provided a crucial service to the communities as area hospitals continue to reduce services and endure financial hardships.

WellNow President Sam Meites previously said the company made the "difficult decision" to notify BCBS in September of the pending decision to potentially end the partnership.

That came to fruition on Jan. 1 when WellNow reps say they could not come to an agreement on what a "reasonable rate" would be.

Unfortunately, the rates we receive from Excellus BCBS for the care provided to their members have been flat for the past decade. At the same time, over the past five years, Excellus BCBS has continued to drive average rate increases to their members of more than 8 percent every year, generating more than $130 million in profits a year. It’s a simple equation: charge you more, pay your WellNow providers the same or less, boost profits for the insurance company,” Meites previously wrote in an October letter to WellNow patients.

At the time, Meites said the rate of reimbursement was not sustainable for WellNow Clinics, which would potentially lead to the closure of clinics in a number of communities throughout the state.

No specific locations were mentioned in the letter.

In a separate link provided by Meites in October, WellNow detailed Excellus BCBS’s financial status, saying that since 2017 Excellus has profited around $130 million per year.

The page also stated that Excellus’ CEO salary has averaged more than $3 million annually.

Since 2017, the state of New York has approved an average rate increase to Excellus’ patients of more than 8% per year, according to WellNow officials.

“The 2,500 healthcare professionals at our 75 WellNow Urgent Care sites in the state of New York have worked tirelessly to provide high quality, convenient care to our patients in communities across the state,” Meites previously said.

Meites went on further, saying the essential care provided by WellNow is needed for patients that are seen “seven days a week for up to 16 hours per day.”

“We also provide 24/7 access to care through our telehealth services. We have worked hard to play an essential role as a provider of quality, dependable healthcare in your community,” he previously wrote.

Now that WellNow clinics are no longer accepting BCBS insurance plans, those on such plans will have to visit urgent care clinics run by St. Lawrence Health, Claxton-Hepburn or private providers that accept BCBS insurance.

St. Lawrence Health operates an urgent care facility located at 49 Lawrence Avenue in Potsdam, as well as an urgent care facility at 80 East Main Street, Canton.

In Massena, those in need of an urgent care facility can go to Mountain Medical Services Urgent Care at 2 Hospital Drive.

In Ogdensburg, the Claxton-Hepburn Convenient Care facility is located at 100 Horwood Pl.

Claxton-Hepburn also operates clinics in Waddington, Hammond and Canton as well.

Community Health Center of the North Country also operates full service family practices in Canton, Gouverneur and Ogdensburg in St. Lawrence County, along with a facility in Malone.