Lake Forest Hospital, Blue Cross sign multiyear agreement

LAKE FOREST - Lake Forest Hospital Tuesday said it has signed a new three-year contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois effective through 2010 that includes all inpatient care, outpatient services, skilled nursing care and home care services provided by the hospital. A spokeswoman said an overall value of the deal was unavailable but it allows Lake Forest Hospital to maintain its long relationship with the health insurance company dating back to 1957. The hospital provides a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services at its Lake Forest and Grayslake campuses. The hospital is expanding its acute care center to a free-standing emergency center in Grayslake and hopes to complete, pending state approval, a further expansion at the location for outpatient surgery and cancer care.