“Houston Methodist and UnitedHealthcare have reached an agreement in principle, but we are working through many complex details of the contract now,” a hospital spokesperson confirmed in a May 21 statement to the Chronicle.
UnitedHealthcare and Houston Methodist were unable to agree on reimbursement rates before a Dec. 31, 2019, contract deadline. The health system blamed the insurer for proposing rate cuts and prioritizing profits over patients, and the insurer argued Houston Methodist charges significantly more than other area providers, which leads to higher healthcare costs for its members.
The dispute affected 100,000 UnitedHealthcare members.
The companies will release details about the final agreement and when it will take effect at a later date, Houston Methodist’s spokesperson said.
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