Cancer centers and teachers health trust settle nonpayment dispute

A large cancer treatment group has settled a dispute with the health insurer for Clark County School District teachers over nonpayment for services.

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada and THT Health said in a statement Thursday that they had reached “a settlement regarding outstanding amounts” due to the medical provider.

As a result, Comprehensive Cancer Centers will start accepting new THT Health patients starting Friday. The medical group had continued serving existing patients during the dispute.

“An amicable agreement has been reached to the satisfaction of all parties,” the organizations said in the statement.

The medical provider and health insurer were in negotiations over contractual issues, including unpaid claims, as first reported by the Review-Journal. The terms of the settlement weren’t disclosed Thursday.

THT Health, a nonprofit health trust that insures about 34,000 licensed school district employees and their family members, is overseen by the Clark County Education Association teachers union.

In a Thursday statement, the union said: “CCEA is very pleased that Teachers Health Trust and Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada were able to reach an amicable agreement between both parties so that CCSD educators in need can continue to receive the care they deserve.”

Patients at Comprehensive Cancer Centers received a Sept. 7 letter saying the medical provider would continue to serve existing patients, but wouldn’t accept new THT Health patients.

“Comprehensive has continued to provide excellent care to its THT patients even though it has not received payments for more than seven months now,” the medical group wrote. “Further, THT has attempted to force Comprehensive to accept a reimbursement well below market, which does not cover the cost of care for its patients.”

School district employees have voiced frustration for months about THT Health, saying they’ve been dropped as patients due to unpaid claims or have been threatened by medical providers with being sent to collections.

The Clark County School Board heard a presentation last week about THT Health and the steps it’s taking to address millions of dollars in debt. The trust received a $35 million advance in May from the school district.

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter.