Hospitals in the Sisters of St. Francis health care system will remain in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield network following a court ruling on Monday.

The ruling from the Marion County Superior Court Civil Division in Indianapolis means that members of Anthem health plans can continue to receive in-network services at Sisters of St. Francis facilities after May 1, according to a joint statement on Tuesday from St. Francis Hospital and Health Centers and Anthem.

Sisters of St. Francis facilities in Northwest Indiana include St. Margaret Mercy hospitals in Hammond and Dyer, St. Anthony hospitals in Crown Point and Michigan City and Franciscan Physicians Hospital in Munster

Anthem had sought to terminate the contracts as early as May 1 if no agreement with the Sisters of St. Francis hospital system was reached.

The hospital system's concerns included what it said was a lack of timely claims reimbursement. Anthem said it was concerned about being billed for services performed outside the hospital setting as if the services had been performed in the hospital.

A spokesman for the hospital system said on Tuesday that negotiations with Anthem are ongoing.

"We are both interested in securing a new long-term agreement to insure that Anthem patients will continue to receive benefits at all of the (Sisters of St. Francis) hospitals in Indiana," spokesman Joe Stuteville said.

The current Anthem contracts expire on Sept. 1.

Without a contract, patients insured by Anthem would have to pay out-of-network costs for care at hospitals in the Sisters of St. Francis system.