Upstate patients could soon be out-of-network after insurance agreement ends

SMITH PAROLE HEARING CONTINUES NOW. WYFF NEWS FOUR AT SIX STARTS RIGHT NOW. ROLE DENIED FOR SUSAN SMITH. THE MOTHER CONVICTED OF KILLING HER TWO LITTLE BOYS IN 1994. I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING IF I COULD GO BACK AND CHANGE IT. I LOVE MICHAEL AND ALAN WITH ALL MY HEART. SMITH SPEAKING PUBLICLY TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES, PLEADING FOR MERCY BEFORE THE BOARD’S DECISION. THE PAROLE ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE OPPOSING HER RELEASE, INCLUDING MICHAEL AND ALEX. FATHER. I WILL BE HERE EVERY TWO YEARS GOING FORWARD. TO ENSURE THAT YOUR DEATH DOESN’T GO IN VAIN. I’M STEPHANIE TROTTER AND I’M JANE ROBELOT. WE’LL HAVE LIVE TEAM COVERAGE FROM COLUMBIA, AND I’M PEYTON FURTADO HERE AT JOHN D LONG LAKE HERE IN UNION COUNTY. WE SPEAK WITH PEOPLE WHO CALL THIS AREA THEIR HOME RIGHT AFTER SUSAN SMITH IS DENIED PAROLE. AND WE DO CONTINUE OUR BREAKING NEWS COVERAGE TONIGHT OUT OF COLUMBIA. SUSAN SMITH HAS BEEN DENIED PAROLE 30 YEARS AFTER BEING CONVICTED OF DROWNING HER TWO SONS. THE MURDER CASE CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF MILLIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD BACK IN 1994. I DON’T KNOW HOW TO TELL DAVID HE COULDN’T SEE HIS SON AGAIN. AND I’M JUST. I’M SORRY. I DON’T KNOW. I KNOW THAT’S NOT ENOUGH. I NEVER HAVE FELT ANY REMORSE FROM HER FOR IT. SHE NEVER EXPRESSED ANY TO ME. I NEVER HEARD SEEN IT ON PAPER. WE HAVE LIVE TEAM COVERAGE FROM COLUMBIA AND IN THE UPSTATE. OUR PEYTON FURTADO IS IN UNION COUNTY WITH HOW THE COMMUNITY IS REACTING TO THE PAROLE BOARD’S DECISION. BUT FIRST, WE BEGIN WITH JANE ROBELOT AND STEPHANIE TROTTER, WHO HAVE BEEN IN COLUMBIA FOR THE HEARING. WELL, NIGEL AND CAROL, AS YOU JUST SHOWED OUR VIEWERS THIS STORY, ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIED THE ENTIRE NATION. THREE DECADES AGO. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT THIS PAROLE HEARING WAS A VERY BIG MEDIA EVENT TODAY. AND THE TONE HERE, ALWAYS SOMBER. THERE WERE A TON OF MEDIA PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, BUT EVERYONE WAS SO VERY RESPECTFUL. UNDERSTANDING THE REAL GRAVITY ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING TO PLAY OUT IN THAT PAROLE BOARD HEARING. AND IT WAS HEAVY ON EVERYONE HERE AT 9:00 IN THE MORNING, DAVID WAS DAVID SMITH WALKED INTO THE COURT WITH HIS FAMILY OR WENT TO THE PAROLE WITH HIS FAMILY, WALKING INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF PROBATION, PAROLE AND PARDON. AND AT NOON, SUSAN SMITH MADE HER PLEA FOR PAROLE. SPEAKING VIRTUALLY FROM PRISON. I AM A CHRISTIAN AND GOD IS A BIG PART OF MY LIFE, AND I KNOW HE HAS FORGIVEN ME AND IT IS BY HIS GRACE AND MERCY THAT AND I HAVE A LOT OF FAITH, AND I LIVE BY THAT EVERY DAY. AND I JUST ASK THAT THAT YOU SHOW THAT SAME KIND OF MERCY AS WELL. BUT THEY DID NOT. AND THE PAROLE BOARD GIVES WEIGHTY CONSIDERATION TO WHAT THE VICTIMS AND THE VICTIMS FAMILIES HAVE TO SAY. AND THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE. STEPHANIE, IT WAS DAVID SMITH WAS SURROUNDED BY MORE THAN 12 PEOPLE, A LOT OF THEM HAD HELPED LOOK FOR THE CHILDREN 30 YEARS AGO. THEY’VE ALL HAD TO LEARN HOW TO GET THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT THE CHILDREN. TODAY, AS MEMBER AFTER MEMBER WENT BEFORE THE BOARD, THEY REPEATED THE MESSAGE THAT WE HAVE HEARD TIME AND AGAIN THAT WHEN JURORS GAVE SUSAN A LIFE SENTENCE, THEY THOUGHT IT REALLY MEANT LIFE. WHEN FORMER SOLICITOR TOMMY POPE GOT UP AND SPOKE, HE REALLY HONED IN ON SUSAN SMITH’S BEHAVIOR BEHIND BARS. IT HAS NOT BEEN PERFECT. AND IN FACT, SHE WAS DISCIPLINED JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS FOR TRYING TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF HER BOY’S DEATH. AS RECENTLY AS AUGUST. NOW, WHILE SUSAN SMITH’S TEAM WAS TRYING TO PAINT THE MURDER UNDER THE MENTAL HEALTH UMBRELLA, TOMMY POPE SAID NO GO THAT SHE WAS TRYING TO WIPE THE SLATE. THE SLATE CLEAN FOR A NEW LIFE. ULTIMATELY, TO ME, THAT’S ONLY 15 YEARS PER CHILD. HER OWN CHILDREN. IT’S JUST NOT ENOUGH, I SAID. THE BOYS WERE IN THE CAR. HER WEDDING GOWN WAS IN THE CAR. HER WEDDING ALBUM WAS IN THE CAR, SHE THOUGHT IN A NICE PACKAGE. SHE COULD ROLL THAT AWAY IF SHE COULD HAVE PUT DAVID IN THE CAR, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE TOO. SHE IN A NICE PACKAGE. SHE COULD ROLL THAT AWAY AND START THIS NEW LIFE WITH THIS OTHER MAN. AND OF COURSE, THE CHILDREN WERE GONE ONCE DAVID SPOKE, THE BOARD MADE A VERY QUICK DECISION AND THEY CITED TWO SPECIFIC REASONS. THEY POINTED TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF SUSAN’S CRIME IN DENYING HER PAROLE, AS WELL AS HER BEHAVIOR BEHIND BARS. DAVID AND HIS WIFE, TIFFANY. THEY SAID THAT THE BOY’S LEGACY WILL CONTINUE TO BE WHAT THEY FIGHT FOR, AS WELL AS JUSTICE, AND THEY WILL BE BACK HERE AGAIN IN TWO YEARS. YES, SADLY, THAT THAT PART IS GOING TO CONTINUE EVERY TWO YEARS. SUSAN SMITH WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE, AND THEY SAID THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HONOR THE LEGACY OF THOSE BOYS BY KEEPING HER BEHIND BARS FOR THE REST OF HER NATURAL LIFE. IN COLUMBIA. WITH STEPHANIE TROTTER JANE ROBELOT WIFE. NEWS FOUR STEPHANIE JANE. THANK YOU. THE UNION COUNTY COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE ACROSS THE NATION WERE SHAKEN BY THE CASE OF SUSAN SMITH AND THE DEATHS OF HER LITTLE BOYS. PEYTON FURTADO JOINS US FROM JOHN D LONG LAKE. PEYTON, WHAT ARE THE REACTIONS FROM TODAY’S RULING? DISGUST, HATRED. UPSET. TEARS. SADNESS. TODAY OVER EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED TO THESE LITTLE BOYS AND HONESTLY, GLEE THAT SUSAN SMITH WILL STAY BEHIND BARS WERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE LAKE WHERE ALL OF THIS HAPPENED, WHERE WE HEARD TROTTER DISCUSS SOME OF THAT. WE’RE TOLD BY LAW ENFORCEMENT IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN SIX MINUTES FOR THAT CAR TO SINK TO THE BOTTOM. ALL THE WHILE WATER COMING IN THROUGH THE WINDOWS, THROUGH THE DOORS. THOSE TWO CHILDREN, A THREE YEAR OLD AND A 14 MONTH OLD, LITTLE BOY STRUGGLING IN THEIR CAR SEATS JUST TRYING TO BREATHE. NOW, WE HEARD FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE HERE IN UNION COUNTY TODAY ABOUT ALL OF THIS. WE SPOKE TO SEVERAL PEOPLE HERE IN THE MORNING AND IN THE AFTERNOON. OF COURSE, SHE WAS FOUND GUILTY. SHE WAS DENIED PAROLE TODAY. SEVERAL PEOPLE SAID SHE DOESN’T DESERVE TO GET OUT. AND IF SHE DOES, SHE WON’T BE WELCOMED BACK HERE IN UNION COUNTY. SO MY WHOLE THOUGHT IN IT IS I HAVE A BABY AND IT KILLS ME WHEN SHE GETS A BOO BOO. SO THE THOUGHT OF SOMEBODY TAKING THEIR CHILD’S LIFE AND THEN THINKING THEY CAN WALK FREE AFTER TAKING YOUR CHILD’S LIFE DOESN’T SIT RIGHT WITH ME AT ALL. NO, I DON’T THINK SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAROLED. SHE’LL STAY BEHIND BARS IN GREENWOOD FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER TWO YEARS. AGAIN UNTIL SHE’S UP FOR PAROLE AGAIN. LIKE JANE SAID, THE CHANCES OF HER GETTING PAROLE HERE IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, WHERE THE PAROLE RATE IS JUST 8%, THOSE CHANCES ARE VERY SLIM. LIVE IN UNION COUNTY. I’M PEYTON FURTADO FOR WYFF NEWS FOUR. PEYTON. THANK YOU. WE HAVE MUCH MORE ON THE CASE OF SUSAN SMITH AND TODAY’S PAROLE HEARING ON WYFF4.COM. YOU CAN ALWAYS VISIT THE WYFF4.COM MOBILE APP. A LIVE LOOK NOW FROM OUR LAKE HARTWELL SKY CAM. A VERY NICE NIGHT OUT THERE, BUT IT’S COLD. YEAH, IT’S A BEAUTIFUL SUNSET. TOMORROW IS A LIVE SUPER DOPPLER FOUR IMPACT DAY. AND CHIEF METEOROLOGIST CHRIS JUSTUS IS HERE. CHRIS, IT’S GOING TO GET COLD. YEAH, UNLIKE WE’VE SEEN SO FAR THIS SEASON, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO LAST FEBRUARY TO BE THIS COLD. IT’S GOING TO BE WINDY. THE MOUNTAINS WILL GET A PRETTY GOOD SNOW. LET’S SHOW YOU WHAT’S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW ACROSS THE SATELLITE AND RADAR. THERE’S A LITTLE BIT OF SNOW FALLING RIGHT NOW IN THE HIGH COUNTRY, AND THIS IS JUST THE START OF WHAT’S GOING TO BE COMING ON IN. NO SNOW IN THE UPSTATE. IT WILL JUST BE CLEAR, WINDY AND COLD. YOU CAN SEE THAT BLUE STARTING TO SHOW UP IN THE MOUNTAINS NOW. COLD AIR IS DENSE. TAKING YOU BACK TO SCIENCE CLASS IN HIGH SCHOOL. ALL RIGHT. IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THAT DENSE, COLD AIR TO MOVE UP AND OVER THE MOUNTAINS. BUT WHEN IT DOES, IT’S GOING TO BE ON. CLEAR SKIES HAVE MOVED IN FIRST. THAT’S A SIGN OF FIRST. THE CHANGES. BUT LOOK AT THESE WINDS SUSTAINED 2020 FIVE MILES PER HOUR IN THE MOUNTAINS. BUT THOSE GUSTS CHECK IT OUT. THE LATEST ONE AT THE ASHEVILLE AIRPORT IN HENDERSONVILLE, CLOSE TO 50MPH. IT’S GOING TO BE HOWLING THROUGH THE NIGHT AS THAT COLD, COLD AIR SETTLES IN. YOU CAN SEE IT’S ALREADY 48, IN CULLOWHEE, COMPARED TO 67 IN GREENVILLE OVER THE NEXT 12 HOURS. NOTICE, TEMPERATURES PLUMMET VERY QUICKLY. COMING UP, I’LL MAP OUT THE WIND COMBINED WITH TH

Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System’s agreement will soon end with Cigna

Updated: 8:11 PM EST Nov 20, 2024

The Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System’s agreement with Cigna will soon come to an end.(Video above: WYFF News 4 Evening Headlines)Spartanburg Regional and Cigna have been in contract negotiations for over six months. The current agreement between Spartanburg Regional and Cigna that includes Spartanburg Regional’s hospitals, affiliated physicians and ancillary providers will end on Dec. 31. Spartanburg Regional said the contract affects Cigna commercial plans and its affiliated commercial plans and the members covered by those plans. Officials said that Cigna patients will still have access to Spartanburg Regional hospitals regardless of their network status with Cigna.Spartanburg Regional released the following statement:”Spartanburg Regional values its relationship with Cigna, and we remain committed to continuing good-faith negotiations to reach a new agreement. Our sincere hope is that Cigna will reaffirm its commitment to our community between now and Dec. 31. “However, Cigna’s position is in stark contrast to other major national insurers who recognize and agree that increases are necessary to meet rising labor and supply costs. We are simply asking Cigna for a fair agreement that helps us continue to care for our ever-growing region. “Cigna members can continue to receive medical services from their existing Spartanburg Regional providers through Dec. 31. Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, they may be responsible for higher out-of-network costs, as Spartanburg Regional providers will no longer be in the Cigna network.”Spartanburg Regional said after Dec. 31, Cigna members with specific conditions that are currently receiving care may be able to continue receiving services for a period of time at in-network coverage levels.Cigna members seeking continuity of care eligibility with Spartanburg Regional must contact Cigna directly by calling the phone number on their health insurance cards or by visiting my.cigna.com and completing a Transition of Care/Continuity of Care request form. Spartanburg Regional cannot grant this authorization. The impacted Cigna plans include:Choice Fund Open Access Plus;Cigna Healthcare PPO;Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Open Access or Point of Service (POS) Open Access;Network Open Access;Open Access Plus;POS (or HMO) Open Access;PPOOfficials said this will not affect Cigna Medicare contracts, as they will still be in-network.

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. —

The Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System’s agreement with Cigna will soon come to an end.

(Video above: WYFF News 4 Evening Headlines)

Spartanburg Regional and Cigna have been in contract negotiations for over six months.

The current agreement between Spartanburg Regional and Cigna that includes Spartanburg Regional’s hospitals, affiliated physicians and ancillary providers will end on Dec. 31.

Spartanburg Regional said the contract affects Cigna commercial plans and its affiliated commercial plans and the members covered by those plans.

Officials said that Cigna patients will still have access to Spartanburg Regional hospitals regardless of their network status with Cigna.

Spartanburg Regional released the following statement:

“Spartanburg Regional values its relationship with Cigna, and we remain committed to continuing good-faith negotiations to reach a new agreement. Our sincere hope is that Cigna will reaffirm its commitment to our community between now and Dec. 31.

“However, Cigna’s position is in stark contrast to other major national insurers who recognize and agree that increases are necessary to meet rising labor and supply costs. We are simply asking Cigna for a fair agreement that helps us continue to care for our ever-growing region.

“Cigna members can continue to receive medical services from their existing Spartanburg Regional providers through Dec. 31. Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, they may be responsible for higher out-of-network costs, as Spartanburg Regional providers will no longer be in the Cigna network.”

Spartanburg Regional said after Dec. 31, Cigna members with specific conditions that are currently receiving care may be able to continue receiving services for a period of time at in-network coverage levels.

Cigna members seeking continuity of care eligibility with Spartanburg Regional must contact Cigna directly by calling the phone number on their health insurance cards or by visiting my.cigna.com and completing a Transition of Care/Continuity of Care request form. Spartanburg Regional cannot grant this authorization.

The impacted Cigna plans include:

• Choice Fund Open Access Plus;
• Cigna Healthcare PPO;
• Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Open Access or Point of Service (POS) Open Access;
• Network Open Access;
• Open Access Plus;
• POS (or HMO) Open Access;
• PPO

Officials said this will not affect Cigna Medicare contracts, as they will still be in-network.