The Lehigh Valley Health Network will continue accepting patients who have coverage with Aetna.

The two entities announced Thursday that they reached an agreement that will allow Aetna patients to remain in-network at LVHN facilities.

The announcement came one week after LVHN notified Aetna that it planned to terminate its relationship effective March 13. On that date, those insured by Aetna would have no longer been able receive “in-network” care at LVHN facilities, and would face higher out-of-pocket costs if they chose to continue their care there.

“We are pleased to announce that LVHN and Aetna have reached an agreement that allows Aetna Commercial and Medicare members to remain in network at LVHN. The agreement is effective immediately,” according to a joint statement from LVHN and Aetna. “Our top priority as we worked toward reaching an agreement remained our patients and members.

The statement noted that the relationship between LVHN and Aetna is long-standing.

“We will continue to work together to serve our patients and members, and to deliver on our shared goal of improving health outcomes in our community,” according to the statement.

When LVHN announced its intent to end the relationship with Aetna, it blamed it on Aetna routinely denying coverage and making delayed payments on medically-appropriate patient care.

“Aetna has continuously denied coverage for the services our doctors, nurses and caregivers provide for a significant amount of important patient care over the years. This makes it very hard for LVHN or any health care system to continue working with Aetna under those conditions,” Dr. Robert X. Murphy Jr., LVHN executive vice president and chief physician executive, said in a video message posted on a website meant to address questions from Aetna patients.

LVHN noted that the situation had been going on for five years. It called the proposed termination a “fluid situation and a lot can change in 120 days.”

Aetna issued a statement last week, saying that it hoped to reach a solution with LVHN.

“For our clients and members, we will continue to negotiate in good faith with Lehigh Valley Health Network with an eye toward reaching a mutually satisfactory resolution for all,” according to Aetna.

An estimated 39 million people have coverage with Aetna, a CVS Health company.