UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members in four states are heading toward a Jan. 1 network cliff, and the Medicare enrollment window that lets them change course closes Dec. 7. Providence hospitals in Oregon and Washington will be out of network for several UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans on that date, according to UnitedHealthcare’s Providence notice. Baptist Health in Arkansas and Lee Health in Florida are also set to leave the insurer’s networks if their talks fail.
The three systems are in different places. Providence’s exit from the Medicare Advantage plans is set, while Baptist Health says it is “unsure if we will reach an agreement prior to January 1,” and UnitedHealthcare says discussions with Lee Health are still going. A member in any of the four states has to work out which of those situations applies to their own doctors before December arrives…