Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute talks are pushing more than 13,000 patients toward a year-end coverage cliff just as the holidays arrive.
Key Points
Unless a new contract is signed by December 31, 2025, patients insured by Cigna could lose in-network access to Palm Beach Health Network’s hospitals and doctors across Palm Beach County and Port St. Lucie. Only emergency care would stay covered in-network under federal law, leaving families to choose between steep out-of-pocket bills or switching providers.
The Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute has become a stark reminder of how insurance negotiations can directly affect access to care at the local level.
Cigna Palm Beach Health Network Dispute Nears New Year Deadline
Palm Beach Health Network (PBHN) says its existing contract with Cigna expires on December 31.
According to the health system, Cigna has refused reasonable rate increases that PBHN argues are necessary to keep its seven hospitals and physician network in Cigna’s in‑network lineup.
If the Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute is not resolved by the deadline, more than 13,000 Cigna members and their families will be treated as out-of-network for most services at PBHN facilities beginning January 1, 2026.
The only exception would be emergency care, which Cigna must cover at in-network levels regardless of the contract outcome.
PBHN says Cigna patients can keep all scheduled appointments and procedures through the end of the year because nothing changes before the contract actually expires.
What Patients And Employers Stand To Lose
Hospital leaders warn that the Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute could sharply increase costs for patients who want to stay with their current doctors and hospitals.
Families who choose to keep using PBHN providers while out-of-network could face annual out-of-pocket increases of $6,000 or more, according to hospital estimates.
If no agreement is reached, Cigna members could also lose in-network access to:
- The seven PBHN hospitals, including Delray Medical Center, Good Samaritan Medical Center, Florida Coast Medical Center, Palm Beach Children’s Hospital, Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, St. Mary’s Medical Center and West Boca Medical Center
- PBHN’s multi-specialty physician group
- Ambulatory surgery centers and outpatient diagnostic facilities linked to the network
PBHN notes that the Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute could affect access to the only state‑designated Level I trauma centers in Palm Beach County, potentially forcing patients to travel farther for covered trauma care.
Local businesses that selected Cigna health plans for their employees with the understanding that PBHN would be in network may also find those assumptions upended if negotiations fail.
PBHN Says Cigna’s Offer Undercuts Quality Of Care
PBHN leaders frame the Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute as a fight to maintain quality and stability in the face of rising costs.
“We are working overtime to get this done for our patients, but Cigna’s current offer is nowhere near what it takes to deliver the high-quality health care and professionalism that our patients have come to rely on and deserve,” said Maggie Gill, East Coast Group President.
Gill argued that letting contracts expire has become “a pattern for Cigna,” and accused the insurer of ignoring the stress this places on patients and families who simply want to keep their existing providers.
Hospital officials say Cigna refuses to pay fair rates that account for today’s health care economics. They point to a recent federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) report showing that national health care spending growth jumped from 4.6% in 2022 to 7.5% in 2023.
According to that report, inflation, rising wages, prescription drug costs and other factors have pushed overall expenses sharply higher—a backdrop PBHN cites as central to the Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute.
The system also notes that it has successfully negotiated contracts with other major insurers, which it says proves that reasonable agreements are possible when both sides prioritize patient access over corporate margins.
Criticism Of Cigna’s Reimbursement Practices Extends Beyond Florida
PBHN’s complaints come as Cigna faces broader scrutiny of its reimbursement policies across the country.
Critics say the company’s approach to paying claims and providers is too restrictive and can harm patient care. The Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute is one local example, but hospital leaders argue it reflects a national pattern.
Cigna is currently defending a federal lawsuit in California that accuses the insurer of using algorithms to reject patient claims. While the case is ongoing and Cigna contests the allegations, it has drawn attention to how technology and reimbursement policies intersect.
Many medical professionals have publicly criticized Cigna’s payment levels as inadequate, saying they make it harder for hospitals and physicians to cover the real cost of delivering care. PBHN officials say those same dynamics are at play in the Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute, where they argue current rates do not reflect the actual expense of running a large, comprehensive medical network.
Inside Palm Beach Health Network’s Role In The Community
The stakes in the Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute are heightened by PBHN’s central role in local health care.
PBHN describes itself as the largest healthcare network in Palm Beach County, with seven hospitals and care centers stretching across the county and into Port St. Lucie. Its facilities combine “cutting-edge health services with patient-centric care,” according to the system.
With what it calls the greatest longevity in the community, PBHN says more patients trust its network than any other in the region. That includes families relying on Palm Beach Children’s Hospital, patients needing specialized surgeries, and residents depending on PBHN trauma centers for critical emergencies.
Hospital leaders warn that if the Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute ends without a contract, thousands of those patients will face difficult choices about whether they can afford to stay with PBHN physicians.
Patients Left In Limbo As Deadline Approaches
As the contract’s expiration date approaches, the Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute leaves more than 13,000 patients and their families in limbo.
For now, Cigna members can keep their scheduled visits at PBHN facilities through December 31, 2025, with in-network coverage still in place. What happens next will depend on whether the two sides can strike a deal before the New Year.
If agreement is reached, patients may see little change aside from any adjustments Cigna makes internally. If talks collapse, Cigna members who want to continue using PBHN hospitals and doctors would move to out-of-network status for anything beyond emergency care, with potentially large financial consequences.
PBHN is urging patients who are concerned about the Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute to stay informed and has directed them to www.KeepYourHealthcareAccess.com for updates and information on ways to press Cigna to keep the network in place.
What Comes Next In The Cigna Palm Beach Health Network Dispute
The closing days of December could determine how thousands of Palm Beach County residents access care in 2026.
PBHN maintains that it is “working overtime” to reach a fair agreement that preserves patient access while reflecting today’s health care costs. Cigna’s position, beyond its negotiation stance, is not detailed in PBHN’s statement, leaving patients to watch the Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute largely from the sidelines.
What is clear is that the outcome will shape in-network access to trauma services, children’s care, routine checkups and specialized treatments across Palm Beach County and Port St. Lucie.
Until a resolution is announced, families, employers and providers will enter the holidays hoping that the Cigna Palm Beach Health Network dispute ends with a contract that keeps trusted doctors and hospitals within financial reach.
