Community Medical Centers and Fresno Unified’s insurance provider, Aetna, reached a contract agreement Tuesday, restoring access to care for thousands of district retirees.

“Effective immediately, Community will rejoin Aetna’s Medicare PPO health plan network of participating care providers, providing those members with in-network access to Community hospitals and facilities and affiliated physician groups,” a spokesperson for Community said in a statement.

The contract between Aetna and Community, the region’s largest healthcare provider, ended Jan. 1 after the two parties failed to come to a consensus. Immediately, Aetna’s Medicare Advantage Plan removed Community hospitals and health partners from their network of care.

Related Story: Thousands of Fresno Unified Retirees Cut Off From Health Care

This effectively cut off care for 6,500 retirees and dependents enrolled in the Medicare Advantage program, including the approximately 1,500 receiving primary care through Community.

But efforts by the district and labor unions led to restoration of some care, including clinic visits and prescription refills. Now, all services will be available to retirees.

“This agreement will ensure (Fresno Unified) retirees have continued access to Community’s facilities and affiliated providers,” said Aldo De La Torre, Community’s division president of insurance services and managed care.

The contract is retroactively effective Jan. 1, according to the statement.

We are pleased to confirm that we have reached an agreement with Community Medical Centers and Community Health Partners in Fresno,” Aetna said in a statement to GV Wire. “This agreement ensures continued access to high-quality, local care for Aetna Medicare Advantage members.”

Fresno Unified did not respond to GV Wire’s request for comment in time for publication.

Union Leaders and Health Care Board Share News

The Joint Health Management Board shared the news, notifying retirees that their care has been restored and “any temporary disruptions related to the contract lapse are expected to be resolved.”

Additionally, the Fresno Teachers Association made a social media post, celebrating the news and pushing back against claims made by some retirees.

“We are grateful to our retirees for their patience and for staying engaged during a stressful and uncertain period,” the post states. “We also want to be transparent: network disputes may occur again in the future, regardless of the insurer or provider involved. When they do, we remain committed to clear communication, correcting misinformation, and advocating for timely resolutions that protect access to care.”

Expired agreements and failed negotiations are not new nor a localized issue. Community did not accept Anthem Blue Cross insurance for six months in 2023 as negotiations raged on between the two. Additionally, Aetna’s contract with UConn Health in Connecticut recently expired.

“I am thrilled with this news, and I am so glad that our retirees are going to continue with their health care that they need from Community,” said trustee Susan Wittrup. “And I believe an impasse like this between an insurance company and providers should not be legal, because it really leaves people out in the cold. And it disrupts very important health care that they need.”

Care Loss Creates Discord in Fresno Unified

Some district retirees have been advocating for a return to traditional Medicare, saying Aetna’s advantage was restrictive and did not qualify as “lifetime benefits.” These concerns came to a head in January.

Due to increased demands, the JHMB — comprised of union leadership and district administration — voted to restore traditional Medicare with a district-supplied secondary plan.

But the new coverage will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027 — almost one year from now.

Related Story: Fresno Unified Retirees Healthcare Demands Are Met — for Now

Matters escalated when some retirees represented by Fresno attorney Kevin Little filed a complaint letter, alleging “elder abuse” and demanding an expedited timeline.

Little could not be reached for comment before publication of this story.

Related Story: Fresno Unified Retirees Allege Elder Abuse Via Health Care Change

The district called the claims “baseless” and “misleading” in a statement.

Despite the restored access to care, some retirees plan to continue their fight to hold Fresno Unified accountable.

“This decision should’ve been made long ago, but it does not in any way diminish our determination to fight for our civil rights as elder Americans,” retired English teacher Emily Brandt told GV Wire. “FUSD/JHMB have also violated our rights as retirees by illegally changing our lifetime health benefits after we retired.”