Trinity Health no longer accepts UnitedHealthcare after failed compromise

CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — As of July 1, Trinity Health of New England no longer accepts UnitedHealthcare insurance.

Due to the change, patients covered by UnitedHealthcare Commercial or Medicare Advantage plans may experience changes in their coverage.

Trinity Health representatives said they’ve been working to reach a fair agreement with UnitedHealthcare to “appropriately cover the true cost” of their patient care.

They said UnitedHealthcare has often denied, delayed or underpaid Trinity Health hospitals and providers.

“UnitedHealthcare has misrepresented our request for fair payment as a not-for-profit health system,” Trinity Health representatives said. “In truth, we are seeking a multi-year agreement with single-digit increases on average, so that we can continue to invest in the medical innovations, technologies, and programs that people rely on.”

They claim UnitedHealthcare has been raking in billions of dollars by choosing to increase their members’ monthly costs while denying claims and underpaying health systems across the country.

They claim UnitedHealthcare hasn’t offered them a suitable compromise, nor provided a formal counter proposal since May 30.

“We urge UnitedHealthcare to work in favor of our patients’ health and re-engage in productive negotiations so your access to the providers you know and trust can be restored” Trinity Health representatives said.

In a written statement, UnitedHealthcare said it was delivering a new proposal to Trinity Health on Wednesday, and that Trinity Health demanded a 30% price hike that would have taken effect over the next two years, increasing costs by more than $30 million.

“Our goal has always been to reach an agreement that is affordable for Connecticut and Massachusetts residents and employers while avoiding any disruption to care for our members,” the company wrote. “We compromised and proposed meaningful rate increases that would have ensured THNE continued to be reimbursed at market-competitive rates.”

Additional details are available on UnitedHealthcare’s website.

Trinity Health said anyone with questions on if this applies to them can contact the patient line at 800-985-3059 .

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