ELLSWORTH — Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Maine Coast Memorial Hospital have reached an agreement on contract terms that will keep the hospital in Anthem’s network of health care providers through 2008 and 2009.

The agreement was reached after a three-hour meeting in Bangor on Monday, a day before the current contract would have expired on Oct. 1.

The new contract, which the parties have signed, will be in effect through Dec. 31, 2009. Both the hospital and Anthem will continue to discuss future contract terms for the period beyond the new agreement. No other terms of the contract will be released.

“We are pleased to have reached a mutually agreeable contract with Maine Coast Memorial Hospital so that our members can continue to use the hospital for high-quality care,” said Dan Corcoran, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. “We have negotiated a contract which we believe serves the best interests of our members.”

“With this contract, we will be able to continue to provide medical care to all of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s members without any interruption of or changes in service,” said Doug Jones, CEO and president of Maine Coast Memorial Hospital. “Our goal is to provide the best care possible for the people in the communities we serve.”