Unable to resolve their impasse before their contract expired May 1, UnitedHealthcare patients will have to pay out-of-pocket for care services at Northwest Healthcare facilities, according to KGUN-9 News.
The Minnetonka, Minn.-based insurer said the network change will affect approximately 46,000 patients in southern Arizona.
UnitedHealthcare officials said in a statement: "Northwest Healthcare and [parent company Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems] turned down our offer for a five-year agreement that would have kept the system's hospitals, ambulatory clinics and physician practices in our network … We remain committed to working with Northwest Healthcare in finding an acceptable solution that would renew in-network access to health system's hospitals and physicians with a contract focused on quality, affordable healthcare."
Tucson, Ariz.-based Northwest Healthcare released a statement about the network termination on its website, stating: "Despite our repeated efforts to find common ground over the last several months, United made it clear they would rather compromise [patients] access to the Northwest facilities and providers [they] selected than work together to reach an agreement. Instead of working with us to preserve patients' access to the health network they trust, United has made misleading statements."
For a listed of impacted hospitals and urgent care facilities in the Tucson area, click here.