UnitedHealthcare can't seem to get along with anyone these days. The insurer has warned some patients that it might not be able to negotiate a contract with Tennessee-based Sumner Regional Medical Center before the September 30th deadline. And there's a twist: Sumner Regional employees have UnitedHealthcare coverage, which means if the contract isn't renegotiated, hospital employees will have to receive non-emergency care at another in-network facility. This is only the latest in a series of contract disputes. A massive contract dispute [1] between HCA and UnitedHealthcare has forced thousands of Colorado and Florida patients to switch hospitals and doctors. United Healthcare says HCA is charging the insurer too much for its services; HCA disagrees, saying it just wants a fair level of reimbursement. Report [2]
For more on UnitedHealthcare's latest battle:
- read the article [3] from the Gallatin News Examiner
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/hca-unitedhealthcare-wrangle-over-fees/2006-09-01
[2] http://lists.fiercemarkets.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=69l,mq5p,osy,ecw0,bryq,4g4s,1q1x
[3] http://www.gallatinnewsexaminer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060911/MTCN0401/309110018/1310/MTCN04