UnitedHealthcare jeopardizing your access to healthcare

Recently, our physicians became out of network for all patients with United commercial, individual and Medicare Advantage health plans. Now our hospitals may soon face the same fate — leaving fewer healthcare options available for our community — unless an agreement is reached before Nov. 1, 2017.

It’s not unusual for health insurance companies and healthcare providers to discuss and renew contracts. Fair contracts allow us to ensure that Northwest Health remains a trusted health system for our patients for years to come, and that our facilities are adequately-equipped to continue providing exceptional care.

Our physicians and facilities are an essential part of the region’s access to high-quality care. As one of the most comprehensive health networks in Northwest Arkansas— with services including inpatient, outpatient, diagnostic imaging, medical, surgical and emergency services—removing Northwest Health from United’s network could have a burdensome result on our patients, leaving them with narrower options—or possibly no options—for receiving the essential care they need.

If United remains unwilling to reach a compromise, our patients may have to pay higher out-ofpocket costs when receiving care at our hospitals and facilities beginning Nov. 1. Beyond providing personalized, compassionate care, our hospital supports our community beyond our walls in the form of financial support for needed resources. Last year alone, we paid more than $6.7 million in property and business taxes and provided more than $100 million in charity and uncompensated care.

We are doing everything we can to help patients restore and maintain innetwork benefits with our hospitals, facilities and physicians. What can United members do?

• Call United. United members should call the number on the back of their health insurance card and demand that United work with us to restore and maintain innetwork benefits with Northwest Health physician practices and hospitals.

• Talk to Your Employer. If you have insurance through your employer, ask them to explore other health insurance options that have our providers in their network. We are in network with most other major health plans. If you have options, consider switching to a health plan that guarantees your innetwork access to all our providers.

• Call the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Medicaid Advantage members can call the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to let them know the importance of in-network benefits with your preferred physicians and hospital. You can contact CMS directly at 800-6334227.

• Apply for Continuity of Care. If you or a family member is pregnant or undergoing treatment for an ongoing condition, you may be able to continue your current course of care as in-network through your Continuity of Care benefits. Please call the customer service number on the back of your United insurance card to see if you qualify.

Northwest Health will continue to do everything we can to ensure our patients have restored and continued access to our healthcare services in network. We will continue to work with United in hopes of reaching an agreement that is in the best interest of our patients.