July 8, 2026
Little Colorado Medical Center (LCMC) reached a new contract agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield the day before a deadline that would have left the insurer’s regional patients out of network.
The agreement caps weeks of negotiations that came down to the wire. The hospital pushed for a three-year term rather than the standard five, giving LCMC an earlier opportunity to come back to the table and renegotiate pricing.
Patients should experience no disruptions in access to care.
Source: Painted Desert Tribune
June 17, 2026
Little Colorado Medical Center (LCMC) in Winslow, Arizona, issued a contract termination notice to Arizona Blue in April 2026. The current contract is set to expire on June 30, 2026, except that:
- The contract for the FEP expires on December 31, 2026; and
- The contract for ACA plans on the Neighborhood Network expires on December 31, 2027.
Negotiations have continued, but as of this writing have not reached a satisfactory conclusion.
Arizona Blue has begun sending letters to affected members, and Little Colorado Medical Center has posted an announcement on their web site.
Sources: BCBS of Arizona, Little Colorado Medical Center, Painted Desert Tribune