Blue Cross, Tenet sign new contract.

Byline: Stephanie Horvath

Jul. 15--Palm Beach County's largest hospital operator and the state's largest health insurer agreed to a new contract Thursday at the end of a two-week extension of the old pact.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida and Tenet Healthcare signed a one-year contract.

Tenet spokesman Frank Canonica said both sides are satisfied with the agreement. The deal ended weeks of discussions, including a two-week extension of the old contract, which would have expired July 1.

Blue Cross had said Tenet was asking for far too much money. Tenet said it needed the increases to cover the rising costs of hospital care. On Thursday …