West Virginia University Hospitals and Mountain State Blue Cross/Blue Shield have agreed to a new three-year contract that will provide patients uninterrupted access to the hospitals Morgantown facilities.

The new contract will expire at the end of April, 2009.

We at West Virginia University Hospitals are very pleased to have reached a final contract agreement with Mountain State,said WVUH President Bruce McClymonds.We share a common interest in meeting the healthcare needs of the thousands of patients covered by Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans. Our work together can now continue.

“We are also extremely pleased that the contract was successfully negotiated to everyone’s satisfaction,”said Mountain State Blue Cross/Blue Shield President and CEO , Gregory K. Smith.”We believe it represents a win-win for all parties: West Virginia University Hospitals, Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield and especially our joint customers.”

Under the terms of the agreement, WVU Hospitals will be listed as an in-network hospital for all Mountain State Blue Cross and Blue Shield commercial health insurance plans. The agreement also assures that members of Blue Cross and Blue Shield in other states will continue to have access to the hospital as provided by the terms of their benefit plans.

The contract covers WVU Hospitals Morgantown operations, including Ruby Memorial Hospital, WVU Childrens Hospital,Chestnut Ridge Hospital, the Jon Michael Moore Trauma Center and the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center.

Mountain State contracts with United Hospital Center and WVUH -East, which includes City Hospital in Martinsburg and Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Ranson, will continue and are unaffected by the new WVUH agreement.