UnitedHealthcare May Exclude St. Bernards – Impending Healthcare Crisis
TL/DR –
St. Bernards Healthcare of Jonesboro, Arkansas, is on the verge of ending its agreement with UnitedHealthcare of Minnetonka, Minnesota, as negotiations falter. St. Bernards spokesman Mitchell Nail cited issues with UnitedHealthcare’s business practices and clinical policies, which he said cause delays in patient care and increase administrative costs. If no agreement is reached by 1 March, over 300 health care providers and the St. Bernards Medical Center will change to out-of-network status with UnitedHealthcare.
St. Bernards Healthcare’s Relationship with UnitedHealthcare Hits a Snag
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St. Bernards Healthcare of Jonesboro is likely to become out-of-network for UnitedHealthcare of Minnetonka, Minnesota. Mitchell Nail, a St. Bernards spokesman, shared that current contract renewal negotiations seem unlikely to result in agreement.
St. Bernards Behavioral Health Hospital and Counseling Center, along with their affiliated professionals, already transitioned to out-of-network status with UnitedHealthcare on Jan. 4. Further, if no agreement is finalized by March 1, over 300 doctors and healthcare providers from St. Bernards Healthcare system, including those at St. Bernards Medical Center, will also become out-of-network with UnitedHealthcare.
Unless a resolution is found, St. Bernards Medical Center and its related facilities will switch to out-of-network status with UnitedHealthcare on May 1. However, Crossridge Community Hospital is to remain in-network through a separate agreement until Jan. 1, 2025.
A spokesperson from UnitedHealthcare expressed commitment to working out an affordable agreement for Arkansas families and employers. However, Nail criticized UnitedHealthcare’s business practices and clinical policies, describing them as hindrances to patient care and unnecessary cost drivers.
Nail further claimed that UnitedHealthcare often fails to compensate St. Bernards for provided medical services, making it difficult for them to find a reasonable resolution. UnitedHealthcare, Nail said, has been unresponsive to their appeals for negotiation.
In related news, Baptist Health of Little Rock has been out of UnitedHealthcare’s network since Jan. 1 due to a failed negotiation. Despite that, a Baptist Health spokeswoman indicates they’re still negotiating with UnitedHealthcare.
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