Corvallis, Ore.-based Samaritan Health Services has terminated its commercial and Medicare Advantage contracts with UnitedHealthcare.
The five-hospital, nonprofit health system cited slow "processing of requests and claims" that have made it difficult to provide appropriate care to UnitedHealth's members, according to a Sept. 13 news release from Samaritan.
"This, along with other factors, is not in alignment with our mission of building healthier communities together," the health system wrote.
All UnitedHealthcare individual and employer-sponsored commercial plans, along with Medicare Advantage plans, will be out of network with Samaritan's hospitals on Jan. 9. Samaritan's physicians and provider services will be out of network on Nov. 1, 2024.
"Samaritan Health Services recently issued a termination notice to end our commercial and Medicare contracts in Oregon," a UnitedHealthcare spokesperson told Becker's in a statement. "UnitedHealthcare is open to good faith negotiations, and we urge Samaritan to work with us to reach an agreement that will ensure the members we serve have continued access to Samaritan’s hospitals and providers."
Samaritan also operates 80 clinics and employs more than 6,000 people across Western Oregon. As an integrated system, it offers its own Medicare Advantage, managed Medicaid and commercial health plans. The organization is in network with most other major insurers.