Dive Brief:
- UnitedHealthcare and Carolinas HealthCare System have signed a new contract after negotiations stalled for nearly two months, leaving their former agreement to expire Feb 28.
- The companies finalized the contract during the weekend, UnitedHealthcare spokeswoman Tracey Lempner told the Charlotte Observer. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
- While officials say the new contract will not result in any noticeable changes to patients' services or billing, they note the contract no longer covers patients or providers using UnitedHealthcare's Compass individual health plan.
Dive Insight:
Carolinas HealthCare System had accommodated some of the patients left in limbo by providing waivers to those who had pending medical appointments, to ensure they would be billed for in-network care. Now that a deal has been reached, it has been made retroactive to March 1 to cover the gap for those who received care in the interim.
The negotiation difficulties began last fall when UnitedHealthcare told its brokers that Carolinas HealthCare System was seeking payment 150% higher than that of other Charlotte-area hospitals.