BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The UVM Health Network has reached a multiyear agreement with UnitedHealthcare to maintain coverage for patients with the commercial insurance carrier’s plans.
Officials Wednesday said the agreement, which runs through the end of March 2026, will prevent a loss of coverage for patients who receive their insurance through UnitedHealthcare.
It comes after more than a year of negotiations with the for-profit national insurer over a freeze in reimbursement rates and just days before a March deadline that would have seen UVM lose its “in-network” provider status. UVM in October even advised its 2,500 patients on UnitedHealthcare plans to find alternative coverage.
“We are very sorry for the stress and confusion this has caused. I’m certain our patients, families, and caregivers who are impacted by this are frustrated – justifiably so. This is not how we want to engage with payer partners and hope we don’t end up in a situation like this in the future,” UVM Health Network president and CEO Sunny Eappen said in a statement.
Health Network officials say not-for-profit “safety net hospitals” like UVM must ensure they remain financially sustainable in order to meet their mission of caring for all who seek care by negotiating contracts that cover the total costs of providing care, including government underpayments.
Related Story:
UVM Health Network, UnitedHealthcare unable to reach renewal agreement