Many areas have seen more than 50 percent consolidation of providers or insurers, which has raised the stakes in provider-payer contract negotiations. (Image: Shutterstock)

Consolidation on both the payer and provider side of health care is heightening the disruption caused by contract negotiations between the two parties, a new study from finds. And although the disputes are usually resolved at some point, consumers can suffer both financial and health risks when the disputes move providers into out-of-network status.

The report from the Center on Health Insurance Reforms from the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute said that a decade of consolidation in the health care industry have led many areas to have more than 50 percent consolidation of providers or insurers, which have raised the stakes in provider-payer contract negotiations.

Related: States taking action to curb provider consolidation and price increases