BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Beginning next year, HealthPartners will no longer be an in-network provider for UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans due in large part to UnitedHealthcare's high denial rate.
In a letter to patients Tuesday, HealthPartners said the decision came after a year of negotiations.
"UnitedHealthcare delays and denies approval of payment for our patients’ Medicare Advantage claims at a rate unlike any other insurer in our market. At times, this denial rate has been up to 10 times higher than other insurers we work with. UnitedHealthcare’s practices create unnecessary waits and delays for you, and they interfere with our ability to provide you with timely and appropriate care," the press release stated.
HealthPartners will remain in-network for those with UnitedHealthcare through the end of 2024. The co-executive medical directors say they are making sure patients have as much notice as possible, and that people can consider options that would allow them to receive in-network care in 2025.
Patients looking for more information on this change can click here or call 952-977-3065 or 1-800-317-8838 (TTY 711) for more information.
This change applies to care at HealthPartners and Park Nicollet clinics and hospitals, including Methodist, Regions and Lakeview hospitals.
When contacted for reaction to the HealthPartners announcement, UnitedHealthcare shared the following statement.
"We proposed a contract that provided solutions HealthPartners sought to continue participating in our Medicare Advantage network. Rather than using the remaining time on our contract to implement these solutions, HealthPartners rescinded its position and is now putting Medicare Advantage patients in the middle of our negotiation, unnecessarily creating stress and fear for them while spreading outlandish, false claims. Our goal is to utilize the remaining months on our contract to reach an agreement that ensures the people we serve have continued network access to HealthPartners. We hope HealthPartners shares our commitment to provide access to care for all Minnesota and Wisconsin residents.”
UnitedHealthcare also stated that HealthPartners will agree to see the company's Group Retiree Medicare Advantage members only if UnitedHealthcare agreed to a significant price hike that would make HealthPartners the highest-cost peer health system in Minnesota.
For now, UnitedHealthcare's Medical Advantage members will continue to have network access to HealthPartners facilities and physicians through Dec. 31, 2024.