(Photo By Flickr User Kay Schlumpf)

OSF HealthCare is responding after Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois announced plans to drop three hospitals from its PPO health insurance network, including one in the Quad City area.

In a statement released earlier this week, OSF HealthCare says the health insurance company plans to drop the following Medical Center locations: St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, the St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, and St. Mary Medical Center in Galesburg.

OSF says the announcement came while the health system and insurer were still engaged in negotiations.

As a result, OSF says without patient access to the hospitals, it was forced to terminate most of its remaining Blue Cross Blue Shield hospital agreements.

OSF HealthCare reminds patients that the hospitals are still part of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois PPO plans through Dec. 31, 2017. As of Jan. 2018, those with Blue Cross-Blue Shield PPO health insurance plans will only be able to access care at OSF hospitals using out-of-network benefits.

(Information courtesy of KWQC-TV)