BREAKING NEWS: Timberlands Healthcare Future in Jeopardy

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

HOUSTON COUNTY – The future of Timberlands Healthcare is in doubt after Little River Healthcare announced today it would end its affiliation with the Houston County health care provider. Little River is the managing healthcare organization for Timberlands Healthcare in Crockett.

In a phone conversation with Little River Healthcare Co-Owner and Chief Legal Officer Ryan Downton, the CLO confirmed the separation would occur at the end of June.

He explained the company was struggling with recouping insurance claims from Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

“This is for the whole Little River Healthcare System. We have been in a situation where Blue Cross – for the last year or so – has not been paying us according to our contract. They have been delaying payment of claims and requesting medical records. Right now, there is $32 million in accounts receivable that’s more than two months old that they haven’t paid,” Downton said.

“We want the community to know that we weren’t in there to do anything but our best to turn that hospital around and keep it going,” he said.

For more details on this developing situation, please check back online or see the Sunday, June 25 edition of The Messenger.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].