UnitedHealthcare individual and group retiree Medicare Advantage members will continue to have in-network access to Ballad Health under a new multi-year contract inked by the two organizations.
The contract includes value-based measures around care quality and patient experience, according to a Nov. 5 news release from the Johnson City, Tenn.-based health system.
“Ballad Health is committed to working with insurers who share our commitment to a responsible partnership which ensures access to the doctors, hospitals and the continuum of care our seniors need,” Alan Levine, chairman and CEO of Ballad, said. “Ballad Health looks forward to a renewed relationship with UnitedHealthcare, and to partnering in ways that serve our seniors best.”
The agreement comes after Ballad sued UnitedHealth in 2025 over its MA contract, alleging the insurer spent years denying valid claims, delaying payments and overstating the severity of patient illnesses to collect higher reimbursements. The lawsuit, which UnitedHealth called “a PR stunt,” had sought more than $65 million in damages. A federal judge dismissed the complaint in September, ruling the dispute needed to go to arbitration under the contract’s terms.
“We appreciate Ballad Health’s collaboration and shared commitment to reaching an outcome that benefits the people and communities we collectively serve,” Suha Assi, UnitedHealthcare’s newly named individual MA CEO, said in the news release.
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