Rural Healthcare Restored as Santé Health Renews Contract with Adventist

The new agreement ensures thousands of patients in the Central Valley can access Adventist's primary and specialty care providers.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 6:06am

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Santé Health and Adventist Health have finalized a new agreement that restores in-network coverage for Santé members at Adventist Health facilities across the Fresno and Kings County region. The contract lapse in February had disrupted care for around 2,600 Santé customers, but the new evergreen deal will ensure continued access to Adventist's extensive network of rural healthcare providers.

Why it matters

Adventist Health is the dominant healthcare provider in many rural parts of California's Central Valley, so the lapse in its contract with Santé had left thousands of patients scrambling to find new in-network doctors and clinics. This new agreement helps restore reliable access to comprehensive medical services for residents of these underserved communities.

The details

Santé's contract with Adventist Health expired on February 15, forcing around 2,600 Santé customers in the Fresno and Kings County region to find new in-network providers. Santé customer Stacey Jones described the frustration of 'driving by clinics, calling, going inside, showing them my insurance card' to determine which providers still accepted her plan. The new agreement announced on March 31 reinstates Adventist Health's primary and specialty care providers as in-network options for Santé's Commercial HMO and Medicare Advantage members, restoring access to Adventist's outpatient services and clinic locations across the Central Valley.

  • Santé's contract with Adventist Health expired on February 15, 2026.
  • The new agreement was announced on March 31, 2026.

The players

Santé Health

A healthcare provider that offers commercial HMO and Medicare Advantage plans in California's Central Valley region.

Adventist Health

The largest rural healthcare provider west of the Mississippi River, operating hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities across the Central Valley.

Stacey Jones

A Santé customer who was impacted by the contract lapse and had to scramble to find new in-network providers for her family.

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What they’re saying

“I was hopeful that that still would have taken place, and I'm glad that it did.”

— Stacey Jones, Santé customer

“Adventist Health, like I've said in the past, is the monopoly in our area. It literally has our hospital, doctors, physical therapists, you name it, they are it.”

— Stacey Jones, Santé customer

What’s next

Santé has committed to retroactively covering all care for its members at Adventist Health facilities since February 15, when the previous contract lapsed. The healthcare providers say reversing the disruption for thousands of patients will take time, as Santé has had to reissue insurance cards and help customers find new in-network providers.

The takeaway

This new agreement between Santé and Adventist Health is a critical development for ensuring continued access to comprehensive healthcare services in California's rural Central Valley region, where Adventist dominates the market. The contract lapse had created significant disruption for thousands of patients, underscoring the challenges of maintaining reliable coverage in underserved areas, but this renewed partnership helps restore that vital access.