LAKE VIEW, N.Y. — A Lake View woman contacted 2 On Your Side after receiving a letter from Buffalo Medical Group saying her primary care doctor would no longer be in-network after the end of June.
65-hundred seniors who are Highmark Medicare Advantage members were recently told their primary care doctors will be out-of-network as of July 1, 2025, which upsets Mary Anne Smith.
"I just can't see any sense to this other than greed that they're going down this road and putting ourselves and other seniors in this position," said Mary Anne Smith.
Smith is one of the thousands of Western New York seniors who just found out that if she wants to stick with her primary care doctor after June, it will be out-of-network.
"I'm very unhappy, and I'm very concerned because I do not want to leave that practice. I have a wonderful rapport with my primary doctor," said Mary Anne Smith.
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York and Buffalo Medical Group were not able to come to an agreement for BMG to stay part of Highmark's Medicare Advantage provider network past June.
Smith and her husband are both impacted. She says they get their insurance through his former employer and they aren't interested in changing plans.
"To me, it's cruel to be putting people at our stage in life through this. It's a big, big issue for seniors, and I feel bad for everybody who is in this boat with me," said Mary Anne Smith.
A Buffalo Medical Group spokesperson told 2 On Your Side that this change impacts 65 hundred people and their visits with primary care physicians, not specialists.
A Highmark spokesperson told us that Highmark is still hopeful an agreement can be reached with BMG before the end of June.
Smith says while she is upset, she isn't planning on looking for a new doctor because she hopes this gets resolved.
"I'm praying that they will come to an agreement and we will not have to go through that," said Mary Anne Smith.
Both companies are offering to help people. Buffalo Medical Group suggests patients talk to an independent insurance broker to go over options. Highmark has options to help people find new doctors who will still be in-network if they keep their same Medicare plan.
