KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Volunteer News has learned about a problem that could threaten the quality of care you'll receive if you're pregnant. We bring it to you just one week after the March of Dimes gave the state of Tennessee a grade of "F" for premature birth rates.

Volunteer news has learned that healthcare providers who deliver babies are having problems with insurance companies, particularly Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Tennessee. One local birthing center, that offers an alternative to hospital delivery, says unless the insurance company changes, they won't be able to continue delivering the quality service you need.

Selena Sellers says when she gave birth to Jonathan two months ago, the choice of where to do it was easy.

"It was just a wonderful experience all the way."

And thanks to the treatment Selena received at Knoxville's Lisa Ross Birth and Women's Center, Jonathan isn't the only one who's smiling.

"They cared more than their paycheck. They cared more about me as a person and my baby."

But caring only goes so far. Even six dedicated midwives need money to keep the doors open.

Linda Cole, Executive Director of Lisa Ross Birth and Women's Center, says, "We have payments that have been delayed as long as two years."

Not payments from the often low-income people they treat, but from big insurance companies, particularly Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee.

Cole says, "What we have found is that there seems to be some stall tactics put into place, we believe, by the insurance companies to delay timely payments."

Cole says the center's lone office manager spends almost all of her time dealing with paperwork that changes frequently without warning. Cole estimates the center is owed at least 80-thousand dollars in payments that should have come in.

"The delays in these payments are causing us to rethink how we are going to operate going forward."

With a heavy population of TennCare patients, and some who have no insurance at all, the director says if the Ross Center has to cut back or shut down, society will pay the price in another way.

"If we weren't here to take care of them, we would be finding women showing up in the E.R.s across town with no prenatal care."

Not a good sign in a state that's already near the bottom for premature birth rates.

We contacted Blue Cross/Blue Shield to ask them for a response. Their media relations manager, Mary Thompson, sent us the following statement, "Our provider relations representative in Knoxville has been working with representatives from Lisa Ross Birth and Women's Center since early November to identify and resolve any potential claims issues. We just identified this week that there is, in fact, a configuration issue with claims for undocumented aliens and we are in the process of correcting the payments to the Center.

We are not aware of other significant or specific issues that may be causing concern at this time for our network providers in the Northeast marketplace. It is our goal to work with all of our network physicians and facilities to identify and address any problems they may be encountering."

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