Nov 15, 2022
For the last several months, UnitedHealthcare has been meeting regularly with Providence Health (Providence) in California to renew its hospital and physician contracts so that members have continued access to Providence’s facilities and caregivers. UnitedHealthcare want to keep Providence in their network and are committed to remaining engaged in productive negotiation.
If they are unable to reach an agreement, Providence’s facilities and providers will be out of network for employer-sponsored, individual, Medicare Advantage PPO and Group Retiree PPO plans, effective January 1, 2023.
See the list of impacted facilities and medical groups.
Things to Know
- At a time when many Americans and their employers are struggling financially, Providence is demanding a price hike that would increase health care costs for California families and employers by more than $20 million.
- Agreeing to Providence’s request for this egregious rate increase would drive up the cost of health care and make health care less affordable for members and companies doing business in California.
- UnitedHealthcare recognizes that Providence is an important care provider and have offered reasonable, market-competitive rate increases that will ensure Providence’s hospitals and physicians continue to be fairly compensated for the important care they provide to members.
- Providence’s hospitals and providers in California have benefited from federal assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, receiving federal grant disbursements of CARES Act funding totaling over $376 million for provider relief over the past two years, in addition to federal loans totaling over $542 million from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Providence’s parent company, Providence St. Joseph Health, received nearly $1.3 billion in federal grants and over $1.5 billion in federal loans.
- UnitedHealthcare remains open to conversation with Providence but take seriously the impact that rate increases have on their customers, members and overall health care costs. At this time Providence’s proposals do not align with UnitedHealthcare efforts to help contain costs for their customers and members.
- UnitedHealthcare continues to offer a broad network, and wants to remind you they have relationships with over 350 hospitals and more than 109,000 physicians across California to ensure the families they serve have uninterrupted access to the care they need if they are unable to reach an agreement with Providence.
Continuity of Care & Member Support
UnitedHealthcare has a number of resources available to support our members and their ongoing health care needs:
Continuity of Care
Continuity of care may be available to individuals who are undergoing active treatment at Providence, providing continued in-network benefits for a period of time even if Providence goes out of network. Members should call the number on their health plan ID card to see if they qualify for continuity of care.
Customer Service
For support finding in-network hospitals and physicians, members can call the customer care number on their health plan ID card or visit their plan’s website.
Contact your Amwins Connect Regional Sales Manager for questions.
