United Healthcare to End Coverage at Brown University Hospitals

Categories: Breaking NewsGovernment NewsHealthNews

Changes in health insurance coverage are impacting patients at Brown University Health hospitals.

News Summary

Starting July 1, 2025, United Healthcare’s Medicare Advantage plans will no longer be accepted at four Brown University Health hospitals, including Hasbro Children’s Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital. The decision follows unsuccessful contract negotiations, affecting about 20,000 members. While most patients will face higher out-of-pocket costs, those enrolled in the Dual Special Needs Plan will retain access. Additionally, the Rhode Island Attorney General has set up a website to support affected customers during this transition.

Providence, Rhode Island – Starting July 1, 2025, United Healthcare’s Medicare Advantage plans will no longer be accepted at four Brown University Health hospitals. The affected facilities include Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Miriam Hospital, Newport Hospital, and Rhode Island Hospital.

In addition to the impact on Medicare Advantage patients, group retiree plans from United Healthcare will also face restrictions. However, patients enrolled in the Dual Special Needs Plan will maintain uninterrupted access to Brown University Health hospitals despite these changes. Physicians affiliated with Brown University Health will continue to accept United Healthcare’s Medicare Advantage plans.

This decision came after unsuccessful negotiations between United Healthcare and Brown University Health about contract renewal. Brown University Health stated that they requested a modest increase in reimbursement rates and wanted to eliminate some administrative policies that have been frustrating for patients. United Healthcare, on the other hand, claims that it proposed an extension of the existing contract until the end of the year, but Brown University Health declined the offer.

According to United Healthcare, it is estimated that under 20,000 members will be affected by these changes. Patients enrolled in United Healthcare’s Group Retiree PPO plan will still regard Brown Health as an out-of-network provider; however, they will incur costs similar to those from in-network providers.

Notably, these changes will not apply to Brown University Health’s hospitals located in Massachusetts, providing a fallback option for patients in that area. In case of emergency services, patients will still be covered by United Healthcare when utilizing the affected hospitals. Despite this coverage for emergency services, the overall changes indicate that affected patients may face higher out-of-pocket costs.

There is some ambiguity regarding how long physicians at Brown Health will continue to accept Medicare Advantage plans. While Brown Health officials have suggested that coverage for physicians would last until at least June 2026, conflicting statements from United Healthcare and Brown University Health raise questions about the certainty of this timeline.

For patients currently in the middle of treatment, there may be options available to qualify for continuity of care, which could ease the transition and allow them to continue their care without interruption despite the policy changes.

In light of this situation, the Rhode Island Attorney General has established a website aimed at addressing the concerns of customers affected by the failure of negotiations between the two entities. This initiative could assist those seeking clarity or support as they navigate the upcoming changes to their healthcare coverage.

The upcoming adjustments have raised a significant concern regarding healthcare choices for many Rhode Island residents, particularly those who are elderly or managing chronic conditions requiring consistent medical attention. With higher out-of-pocket costs anticipated, affected residents are encouraged to evaluate their options and understand the implications of these changes in their healthcare plans.