Oklahoma City patients faced uncertainty as INTEGRIS Health and UnitedHealthcare reached a contract deadline that could leave the hospital system out of the insurer’s network. INTEGRIS warned patients that “If we are unable to reach a fair and reasonable agreement, we will be out-of-network after February 7, 2026” and ”INTEGRIS Health hospitals, ancillary services, our employed physicians, and INTEGRIS Health joint venture partners,” according to INTEGRIS Health.
The dispute stems from INTEGRIS claiming UnitedHealthcare is paying under 85% of agreed commercial plan rates, with nearly 1,500 denials or downgrades costing about $5 million. This financial disagreement is driving the contract fight, leaving thousands of patients worried about finding new doctors or facing higher out-of-pocket costs.
Patients told local TV crews the notice felt like a gut punch. “The thought of losing that is horrifying,” Lashawn Pryor told KOCO, describing the critical heart care he receives at INTEGRIS. A couple expecting a baby in April said that being forced into a last-minute provider switch would be a nightmare for their prenatal care.
What each side says
UnitedHealthcare is telling a very different story. The insurer says INTEGRIS is demanding a “more than 20% price hike” that would make it the costliest health system in Oklahoma City and push higher premiums and medical bills onto employers and families. UnitedHealthcare told KFOR that the increases INTEGRIS wants would tack roughly $2,500 onto the cost of a C-section and about $500 onto an MRI, and says it has offered what it calls market-competitive raises while remaining at the bargaining table, according to KFOR. With both sides trading numbers and accusations, their closed-door talks have turned into a very public standoff.
Why this matters
Contract stare-downs like this are becoming more common, and experts say they can upend care overnight for people in the middle of surgery plans, cancer treatment or pregnancy. “This is not a small thing,” Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Gen Mulready told KFOR, which notes the rise in high-profile network fights in recent years. Because UnitedHealthcare covers a large share of INTEGRIS’ Medicare Advantage patients, any breakup could send local shockwaves, affecting some neighborhoods and patient groups harder than others.
How to protect your care
INTEGRIS is urging UnitedHealthcare members to file a Transition of Care or Continuity of Care request with the insurer. The health system says forms and instructions are posted online and that these requests may be approved for people in active treatment, pregnant patients, those already scheduled for non-elective surgery, and terminally ill patients. The system also notes that Medicare Advantage members have an additional election window that runs through March 31, 2026. Patients are being directed to contact UnitedHealthcare member services, their employer’s HR office or the Oklahoma Insurance Department for guidance, according to INTEGRIS Health…