A South Florida family with a child battling a rare medical condition says they were forced to switch insurance plans as Florida Blue remains out of network with two major hospital systems — and is now negotiating with a third.
NBC6 first reported the ongoing contract disputes affecting 4-year-old Parker McGrane, who has mandibulofacial dysostosis with microcephaly, a condition with fewer than 200 documented cases worldwide. Parker depends on specialists at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, part of the Memorial Healthcare System, which went out of network with Florida Blue on Sept. 1.
“It keeps me awake at night. I don’t truly know what we will do,” said Kelsey McGrane, Parker’s mother, as the family waited for an update earlier this fall.
Both Memorial Healthcare and Broward Health, Broward County’s two public hospital systems, are currently out of network for Florida Blue policyholders. The insurer also confirmed it is negotiating a new contract with Cleveland Clinic Florida, which could lose network status early next year if no deal is reached.
Florida State Rep. Chip LaMarca, who is insured by Florida Blue, expressed frustration on behalf of constituents facing similar uncertainty.
“I’m extremely frustrated, extremely disappointed,” LaMarca said. “If they don’t come back to the table, we have a legislative session starting — and I’d be more than willing to have this conversation in Tallahassee.”
He said the sticking point appears to be wide variations in reimbursement rates that Florida Blue pays different hospital systems.
“I’m a free-market person, but when one system gets 30 or 40% higher reimbursement rates, it’s unfair,” LaMarca said. “A fair rate should reflect fair market value.”
In a statement, a Florida Blue spokesperson said the insurer strives to balance affordability with quality care:
“As a mission-driven company, we have a duty to advocate for high-quality care that is as affordable as possible — by negotiating fair rates that balance member needs with the financial pressures faced by hospital systems.”
Parker’s father, Miles McGrane, said the uncertainty surrounding negotiations deeply affected their family.
“It’s very scary to think about what could happen if an agreement isn’t reached,” he said.
The McGranes received a 90-day temporary extension to continue care at Joe DiMaggio, but with open enrollment approaching and no deal in sight, they made a difficult choice.
“We were forced to find a new insurance provider,” the family told NBC6. “We’re grateful that Parker can continue seeing her doctors, but we know there will be limitations because of the plan we had to switch to.”
LaMarca said lawmakers may intervene if hospitals and the insurer can’t resolve the disputes soon.
“Either they make it more fair, or the state of Florida may find another carrier,” he warned.
Memorial Healthcare said it seeks rates that cover costs, while Broward Health wants reimbursements comparable to other hospitals.
Florida Blue told NBC6 it is “making significant progress” in negotiations with both systems and hopes to share “good news once agreements are finalized.”
As for Cleveland Clinic Florida, the two sides disagree on the timeline: Florida Blue says member access is guaranteed through May 2026, while the clinic says it could end as early as March. If that happens, more than 150,000 Florida Blue members — including those with employer, Marketplace, and Medicare Advantage plans — could be affected.
Both sides say they remain hopeful an agreement will be reached before then.
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