If UnitedHealthcare and Atlanta-based Piedmont Healthcare do not reach an agreement by the end of June, some 150,000 patients could find their physicians out of network, 90.1 WABE reported.
A three-year contract between the two companies ends June 30, but negotiations are in deadlock. If a new contract is not inked, five out of Piedmont's six hospitals and hundreds of physicians will no long be in network with UnitedHealthcare starting July 1.
Ronnie Brownsworth, MD, CEO of Piedmont Clinic, notified patients last week that the system will stop accepting UnitedHealthcare commercial plans July 1 if the stalemate continues, according to WABE. Affected patients will need to seek other providers or pay more out of pocket to continue care with their physicians.
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