Florida Blue members may soon have few choices for healthcare providers in Broward County.
On Monday, Cleveland Clinic informed its patients that it is in contract negotiations with Florida Blue. Hospitals renegotiate their contracts with insurers regularly as they expire.
“If we are not able to reach an agreement, Cleveland Clinic may no longer be in-network for Florida Blue members as early as March 1, 2026,” Cleveland Clinic said in a letter sent to its patients and published on its website. This change would apply to Florida Blue employer-sponsored plans, Medicare Advantage plans and Health Insurance Marketplace (ACA, or Obamacare) plans.
For now, Florida Blue members can continue scheduling appointments and receiving care as usual at the Weston hospital.
“Our goal is to reach a new agreement with Florida Blue and avoid any disruption to your coverage,” the hospital wrote.
Appointments or care scheduled on or after March 1, 2026, at Cleveland Clinic may be impacted. However, some members may qualify for “continuity of care benefits” through Florida Blue, such as those who are pregnant or undergoing cancer treatment.
The announcement comes as Florida Blue already is out of network for Broward County’s two large public health systems: Broward Health and Memorial Healthcare System, which together operate 11 hospitals and represent hundreds of providers and specialists.
If an agreement between Cleveland Clinic and Florida Blue is not reached by March, it would leave Broward County residents with Florida Blue even fewer healthcare choices. This may be a consideration for Broward County residents during open enrollment, which has begun for many employers, Medicare enrollees and for the Affordable Care Act marketplace.
Florida Blue did not respond to a request for comment on Monday evening.
South Florida Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.
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