North Texans holding policies with the state’s largest health insurer remain in-network with one of the region’s largest providers of medical services.

The latest dispute between Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and Texas Health Resources ended with a deal signed early Sunday.

As a result, an estimated 185,000 locals holding Blue Cross and Blue Shield policies will not need to search for different in-network doctors and hospitals, or risk paying higher out-of-pocket costs.

It would have been a major headache for consumers who shop around and try to make sure the clinicians and facilities they prefer are in-network when they purchase health plans.

Forced into limbo once again, however, some locals with appointments set for early April had already rescheduled.

The positive news is that consumers won't need to go through this again soon. A spokesman for Blue Cross confirmed Sunday that the new agreement will run through at least 2022.

These types of negotiations are usually resolved before they become public, but Texas Health and Blue Cross have had similar public tussles in recent years. Blue Cross sends emails and flyers to alert customers 30 days before contracts are set to end, which it says is required by state law.

The 15-month old contract that ended March 31 was created following a reimbursement dispute in late 2016 which was resolved two days before deadline.

The latest kerfuffle was also the result of their ongoing differences over payment rates.