About 3,000 commercial patients could be affected by the contract termination, which is slated for April 1. Patients who had UnitedHealthcare insurance and visited a UVM Health Network facility were notified of the move.
The health system blamed administrative woes, including delays to approve care.
“Despite our best efforts to resolve these issues, patients continue to experience unnecessary delays in approvals for common tests, including imaging, treatments and medications, among many other challenges,” UVM Health Network told WCAX.
UnitedHealthcare confirmed that the parties have been negotiating a new contract for months, but despite efforts to strike an agreement, the system’s current rates are not “affordable or sustainable,” the payer told WCAX.
Non-commercial UnitedHealthcare members are unaffected by negotiations.
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