Aetna and Mayo Clinic are parting ways effective Friday, October 10th if they don't reach an agreement.

Aetna spokesman Walt Cherniak says the problem is that Mayo is demanding significant rate increases.

"We feel very strongly particularly in these very difficult economic times that we can't agree to the kind of rate increases they're demanding," says Cherniak.

Cherniak says the lines of communication between the companies are open so things could change.

About 500 Mayo Clinic Jacksonville physicians will be terminated from the network as a result of the hospital leaving the system.

He stresses that if you're actively involved in a course of treatment at Mayo you should be covered until the end of that treatment.

Cherniak also says this does not affect Aetna and Mayo's nationwide transplant agreement.