UF Health, United Healthcare talks continue despite no weekend deadline

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – UF Health and United Healthcare had a Sunday evening deadline to reach an agreement on its latest contract for thousands of patients, but both sides were unable to agree. Now, thousands of UF Health patients with employer-sponsored business plans no longer meet United.

As we reported last week, UF Health is asking for higher reimbursement rates for procedures, which it says have not changed with United in the past 10 years.

READ: Negotiations between UF Health and United Healthcare are ongoing

UF Health Chief Executive Officer Marvin Dewar said UF Health officials will continue to work with United Healthcare to find a solution.

“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 does not give us that option one,” said Dewar. “We continued to try to reach an agreement until the deadline, but United insisted on connecting other products to the negotiations and suddenly put new conditions and changed the language on things that had already been agreed. “

READ: UF Health patients are at risk of losing their health insurance as the consultation deadline approaches

According to a statement released from UF Health on Sept. 1, United offered UF Health business rates that were below the overall price and rising annual costs and refused to honor payment standards commitments that were agreed upon beforehand.

“As a leading public health system that researches cutting-edge treatments, educates the next generation of doctors, and treats many underserved patients, we deserve to be paid fairly and with competition for the care we provide and the services we provide,” said Dewar. “Reasonable compensation is necessary for us to continue our mission.”

A spokesperson for United Healthcare said they submitted an updated proposal and employer-sponsored business plans in Aug. 30 to include additional promises and rate increases that UF Health did not object to.

The last offer received before that was on Aug. 29, when UF Health proposed a 30% price increase over two years and a 20% rate increase over one year, according to United Health officials.

In a press release, UF Health officials said Medicare Advantage patients will not be affected by the change. Most of UF Health Central Florida, except UF Health St. Johns, is not part of the current negotiations and will remain in-network with United Healthcare.

However, doctors with UF Health St. Johns-Flagler Hospital is now an out-of-network provider as of Sept. 1 for patients covered by Medicare Advantage plans.

UF Health officials were negotiating reimbursement rates with the state’s health care provider and were given an Aug. 31 in response to a contract related to Medicaid plans, according to United Healthcare officials.

In a statement, a United Health spokesperson shared the following with TV20:

According to a spokesperson, United Healthcare officials had awarded UF Health a contract that would allow UF Health St. John’s to remain online but UF “refused to finalize the contract.”

Patients can contact UF Health with questions at 1-855-834-7337 or visit their website for a list of health plans accepted by UF Health in Gainesville, Jacksonville and St. Johns.

For the latest information from United Healthcare, click here.

Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Copyright 2024 WCJB. All rights reserved.