FAQs about our negotiation with Brown University Health

Our current contract with Brown University Health’s hospitals remains in effect through June 30, 2025 for people enrolled in our Medicare Advantage plans. If we are unable to reach an agreement, Brown University Health’s hospitals will be out of network for people enrolled in our Medicare Advantage plans, including Group Retiree and Dual Special Needs Plans (DSNP), beginning July 1, 2025.

Our top priority is to renew our relationship and ensure continued, uninterrupted network access to Brown University Health’s hospitals.

Yes. Brown University Health’s physicians are not impacted by the negotiation at this time. They will continue to remain in our network on and beyond July 1, regardless of the outcome of this negotiation.

This negotiation only impacts our relationship with Brown University Health’s hospitals.

In the event we are unable to reach an agreement, Brown University Health’s hospitals would be out of network for our Medicare Advantage plans, including Group Retiree and Dual Special Needs Plans (DSNP), effective July 1, 2025.

The following hospitals would be out of network as of July 1 if an agreement is not reached:

• Hasbro Children’s Hospital
• Miriam Hospital
• Newport Hospital
• Rhode Island Hospital

Please note Saint Anne’s Hospital as well as Morton Hospital are under a separate agreement and continue to remain in our Medicare Advantage network, regardless of the outcome of our negotiation.

Yes. Lifespan recently changed their name to Brown University Health. The following hospitals would be out of network for our Medicare Advantage plans, including Group Retiree and Dual Special Needs Plans (DSNP), if we do not reach an agreement prior to July 1:

• Hasbro Children’s Hospital
• Miriam Hospital
• Newport Hospital
• Rhode Island Hospital

Please note Saint Anne’s Hospital as well as Morton Hospital are under a separate agreement and continue to remain in our Medicare Advantage network, regardless of the outcome of our negotiation.

Yes. Our goal is to reach an agreement that is affordable and provides continued long-term access to Brown University Health’s hospitals while avoiding any disruption to our members. We are committed to utilizing the remaining time on our contract to engage in continued good-faith negotiation.

If you are enrolled in a UnitedHealthcare Group Retiree PPO plan, you may still receive care at Brown University Health’s hospitals as an out-of-network provider, if they are a Medicare-approved provider that accepts the plan. Your share of the cost will be the same as if they were part of the network.

We encourage you to speak with your local hospital to confirm they’ll continue to see you, regardless of their network status. 

For additional information about our Group Retiree plan as well as information on how to find a provider in your area, please go to retiree.uhc.com.

We continue to have a broad network of hospitals throughout Rhode Island and the surrounding region should Brown University Health’s hospitals leave our Medicare Advantage network. Some of the hospitals remaining in our Medicare Advantage and DSNP network include but are not limited to:

• Boston Children’s Hospital
• Care New England Hospitals
• Fatima Hospital
• Kent Hospital
• Landmark Medical Center
• Massachusetts General Hospital
• Roger Williams Medical Center
• South County Hospital
• Westerly Hospital
• Women and Infants Hospital

If you or someone in your family have questions about alternative in-network hospitals in your area, please call the number on your health plan ID card. You can also use the provider directory on our member website at myuhc.com to search for hospitals that continue to participate in our network in your area. 

If you or any of our members are in the middle of treatment at a Brown University Health hospital and they go out of network, you may qualify for continuity of care. Continuity of care provides continued in-network benefits for a specified period of time after a hospital or physician leaves our network. A few examples of patients who may qualify include:

• Women who are pregnant.
• Patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed cancer, or those currently in active cancer treatment.

You can apply for continuity of care any time from now until 30 days after a health system has been out of network. In this instance, you would have until July 30 to apply for continuity of care. If you or someone in your family has questions about continuity of care, how to apply or whether they might be eligible, please call the number on your health plan ID card.

You should always go to the nearest hospital in the event of an emergency. Your services will be covered at the in-network benefit level, regardless of whether the hospital participates in UnitedHealthcare’s network.