Prime Healthcare officials say they have reached an agreement to stay in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois beyond June 1.

Blue Cross Blue Shield, the largest insurance provider in Illinois, notified Illinois customers earlier this year they may no longer be in-network after June 1 if they are a patient of Prime Healthcare.

In 2025, Prime Healthcare, a for-profit medical group, purchased eight Illinois hospitals from Ascension, including St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, Mercy Hospital in Aurora and St. Mary Medical Center in Kankakee.

On Thursday, Prime Healthcare told Shaw Local that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois had reached an agreement for all eight of their hospitals in Illinois.

Prime Healthcare has been in network with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, and they will remain in network after June 1.

Patients will not experience any “interruption to access or increase in their cost of care,” according to Prime Healthcare officials.

Tori Dameron, president of the Illinois Nurses Association, called the news a “relief for Blue Cross patients in Illinois.”

“Especially in light of the lawsuit Anthem [Blue Cross Blue Shield] has brought against Prime alleging the company intentionally cancelled insurance contracts, raised prices and then aggressively pursued out-of-network claims at its California hospitals,” Dameron said.

Dameron said there must continue to be demands for “transparency and accountability until Prime safely staffs its hospitals, stops cutting services and ensures patients come before profits.”

The Illinois Nurses Association expressed concerns about patients losing insurance coverage on Monday.

In response, Prime Healthcare officials said negotiations with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois had been “ongoing.” They said a letter from the insurer to their customers “may create unnecessary concern for patients” during negotiations.

Prime Healthcare officials said Blue Cross Blue Shield has committed to communicating the change with customers who were sent notifications about the June 1 cut off.

The company “remains contracted with all major health plans” in Illinois and they are “committed to continuing to work in good faith” with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois to protect “patient access and support the long-term sustainability of hospitals,“ according to a Prime Healthcare spokesperson.

Blue Cross Blue Shield spokeswoman Tricia Ament said Prime Healthcare had previously notified them of their “plans to leave our networks” on June 1.

“Those plans have changed, and we are pleased to let you know that Prime has confirmed that they will stay in network,” Ament said.

Blue Cross Blue Shield members can find more information about how to find in-network care at bcbsil.com or by calling the number on their member ID card.

More information regarding Prime Healthcare’s participation Blue Cross Blue Shield networks can be found at bcbsil.com/prime.