Dive Brief:
- A Connecticut federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction barring UnitedHealthcare from trimming its provider networks for Medicare Advantage plans.
- The injunction comes in response to a suit filed by two county medical associations, who contend that the health plan breached contracts when it cut almost 2,200 doctors from its 2014 network.
- The judge ruled that both doctors and patients would suffer irreparable harm if the cuts were allowed to take place; now, other payers are wondering whether they will face similar legal challenges if they attempt to pare down their Medcare Advantage networks.
Dive Insight:
There's little doubt that medical societies in other states will race to file challenges to being bounced from networks -- it's just a matter of time. According to a Modern Healthcare piece, medical societies in other states are already readying themselves for a possible battle with network-reducing insurers. They certainly have reason to be concerned. In New York alone, doctors have received termination notices not only from United Healthcare,but also Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield and EmblemHealth. Doctors in other states are likely to get similar notices -- and have similar reasons to fight back.