{Lexington, Kentucky}...Appalachian Regional Healthcare and Coventry Health Care officials will be in court in Lexington Tuesday morning. Patients covered by Coventry are being given the option to switch to Wellcare after contract negotiations between the two companies stalled repeatedly during the last two months. The contract between Appalachian Regional Healthcare and Coventry Health and Life Insurance Company is set to expire at the end of the month. The Kentucky Cabinet for Health Services has stated its willingness to process requests for conversion to an alternate plan within 10 days. It is therefore recommended patients needing changes file their requests no later than June 20th. ARH is in negotiations with another carrier, Kentucky Spirit, but no agreement has been reached at this time. ARH has alleged Coventry has failed to pay in a timely manner and filed suit in U.S. District Court in Lexington. As of April 16th, ARH reportedly was waiting on approximately $12,500,000 in claims submitted to Coventry since November 1, 2011.
