News Friday of a five-year agreement to break a long impasse between Springfield Clinic and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois was exciting to Mike Murphy (pictured, right), president of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s been over two years, and I’m excited that two members of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce who haven’t been able to agree for a while have come to an agreement; but, really, what I’m excited about is for the patients,” Murphy told WTAX News Frida.
Murphy says the agreement solidifies Springfield’s status as the medical capital of Downstate Illinois – and that the clinic is a big reason why. Murphy said he jokes that the clinic should actually be named “Southern Illinois Clinic” or “Illinois Clinic” because of its reach.
“When I talk about the future growth in the community, our medical providers are at the forefront of that,” Murphy continued. “We have two great hospitals, Springfield Clinic, and SIU School of Medicine, and we need them clicking at 100 percent to make sure that we reach our true potential of what we have with them in the community, and I think in the next couple of decades, they’re going to be the driving force of our community.”