UF Health and United Healthcare fail to agree on a contract before the September deadline
United Healthcare no longer covers UF Health doctors and hospitals for commercial health plans and Medicaid in Gainesville and Jacksonville, UF Health said.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – University of Florida Health and United Healthcare failed to resolve months-long contract negotiations, leaving thousands of First Coast patients without a provider on Sunday.
The contract between UF Health and United Healthcare expired Sunday.
UF Health said in a news release Sunday that United Healthcare is not including UF Health hospitals and physician groups in Jacksonville, St. Johns and Gainesville from its network.
United Healthcare no longer covers UF Health doctors, hospitals and other facilities for Medicaid Managed Care health plans in Gainesville and Jacksonville, according to UF Health.
Patients covered by United Healthcare’s Medicare Advantage plans will no longer have doctors with UF Health St. Johns or Flagler Hospital from Sept. 1. This does not affect Medicare Advantage plans or Dual Special Needs Plans (DSNP) at UF Health Jacksonville, UF Health Gainesville and UF Health Leesburg, according to United Healthcare.
UF Health Chief Medical Officer Marvin Dewar said providers are working with Medicaid patients to reduce provider changes and find ways to keep costs low.
“We’re going to find a way to continue to see Medicaid patients who need to be seen even after we’re online,” Dewar said. First Coast News on Monday. “For patients with United Insurance business, it’s a little more difficult. We go out of the network for that.”
United Healthcare said it agreed to UF Health’s terms regarding its Medicaid network, but said UF Health has yet to respond to finalizing the contract in Aug. 31, disrupting 30,000 Medicaid enrollees.
The lack of a contract between the two organizations will affect patients enrolled in employer-sponsored commercial plans. UF Health Psychiatric Hospital and UF Health Central Florida are under separate contracts and will remain in United Healthcare’s network, officials said.
UF students with a United Healthcare plan through the student health insurance program will be able to continue receiving care at the UF Student Health Care Center and all UF Health facilities as usual. and there.
“Our commitment to putting patients at the heart of our efforts is unwavering, and we have put measures in place to minimize any disruption to care as much as possible, but unfortunately United Healthcare has not given us that option. one,” said Dewar, a news release shared on Sunday.
Dewar said UF Health invited United Healthcare to meet and finalize the agreement, “but they refused” and “insisted on linking other products to the discussion and suddenly put new conditions and language on things that were already agreed upon.” the release says.
United Healthcare says UF Health’s last offer was sent on Aug. 29, and included requirements for a 30% price increase over the next two years, with a 20% rate increase in the first year. On Aug. 30, United Healthcare returned a counter that included a rate increase beyond what was already planned, according to United Healthcare officials.
“All of our offers guaranteed that UF Health would be reimbursed at the same rates as their peers in the market. UF Health did not respond to our final offer and allowed our contract to expire, “United Healthcare said Sunday.
The two organizations had been negotiating for months about reimbursement rates,front cost less than a year.”
“We deserve to be paid fairly and competitively for the care we provide to patients and the services we provide,” Dewar said. “Reasonable compensation is necessary for us to support our work.”
Both UF Health and United Healthcare have confirmed they are “committed” to continuing negotiations.
“However, we need UF Health to join us at the negotiating table,” United Healthcare said.
“We are continuing to negotiate in good faith but we are waiting for the health plan to respond with an appropriate and consistent proposal to make that happen. Also, this includes improving the application process of see and reduce administrative requirements,” UF Health said.
Patients can contact UF Health with questions at 1-855-834-7337 or 352-265-8585. For more information on frequently asked questions, visit https://UFHealth.org/healthplans.
United Healthcare patients can contact the following customer service numbers:
- Business: 1-866-801-4409
- Medicaid managed care: 1-888-716-8787
- Medicare Advantage: 1-855-893-5505
Click here for more information about United Healthcare services.
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