FAQs about our negotiation with Brown University Health

The following Brown University Health hospitals are now of network for people enrolled in our Medicare Advantage plans, including Group Retiree, as of July 1, 2025:

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

We remain open to discussions should Brown University Health come back to the negotiating table and work to reach an agreement that restores network access to these hospitals.

It’s important to note we have reached an agreement to keep Brown University Health’s hospitals in our network for our Dual Special Needs Plan (DSNP). This agreement provides continued, uninterrupted network access to the health system’s hospitals for DSNP members.

Brown University Health’s physicians are not impacted by this negotiation. They will continue to remain in our Medicare Advantage network through at least June 30, 2026.

Yes. Brown University Health’s physicians are not impacted by the negotiation. They will continue to remain in our network through at least June 30, 2026.

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

Services approved by UnitedHealthcare scheduled to occur after Brown University Health’s hospitals went out of network on July 1 will be covered for our UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members. We will reimburse Brown University Health just as Traditional Medicare would pay and in accordance with the member’s benefit plan for the services provided.

We recently learned that Brown University Health – and in some cases some of our members – were cancelling services approved at one of the four hospitals that went out of network. We have contacted the health system and informed them that any services approved by UnitedHealthcare will be covered at their hospitals. Brown has informed us that they recently began contacting our members to reschedule these approved services.

UnitedHealthcare members with questions should call the number on their health plan ID card.

Yes. We recently reached an agreement that provides continued, uninterrupted network access to Brown University Health’s hospitals for people enrolled in UnitedHealthcare Dual Special Needs Plan (DSNP).

Brown University Health’s hospitals will be out of network for our Medicare Advantage plans, including Group Retiree, effective July 1, 2025.

We have reached an agreement to keep the health system’s hospitals in our network for Dual Special Needs Plan (DSNP).

The following hospitals are now out of network, as of July 1:

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

Please note Saint Anne’s Hospital as well as Morton Hospital in Massachusetts are under a separate agreement and continue to remain in our Medicare Advantage network.

Yes. Lifespan recently changed their name to Brown University Health. The following hospitals are now out of network for our Medicare Advantage plans, including Group Retiree, as of July 1:

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

Please note Saint Anne’s Hospital as well as Morton Hospital in Massachusetts are under a separate agreement and continue to remain in our Medicare Advantage network. 

Our goal has always been to keep Brown University Health’s hospitals in our Medicare Advantage network. We remain open to continued discussions with the health system should they join us at the negotiating table and provide a proposal that’s affordable for the people we serve.

Yes. We proposed to extend our Medicare Advantage contract for Brown University Health’s hospitals through the end of the year. This would have provided Medicare Advantage members continued network access to the health system’s hospitals and allowed our organizations additional time to explore solutions toward a new long-term agreement. Brown University Health refused and has disrupted network access to its hospitals for thousands of people enrolled in our Medicare Advantage plans.

No. It has always been our goal to keep Brown University Health’s hospitals in our Medicare Advantage network. Unfortunately, the health system made its intentions clear that they would leave our Medicare Advantage network unless we agreed to their demands that would make them significantly higher cost than all other hospitals in our Medicare Advantage network in Rhode Island. 

UnitedHealthcare members enrolled in a UnitedHealthcare Group Retiree PPO plan 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. Their share of the cost will be the same as if they were part of the network.

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

For additional information about our Group Retiree plan as well as information on how to find a provider, UnitedHealthcare members should go to retiree.uhc.com.

We continue to have a broad network of hospitals throughout Rhode Island and the surrounding region that are readily able to provide high-quality care. Some of the hospitals remaining in our Medicare Advantage network include but are not limited to:

UnitedHealthcare members who have questions or need assistance finding an alternative in-network hospital in their area should call the number on their health plan ID card. They can also use the provider directory on our member website at www.myuhc.com to search for hospitals that continue to participate in our network. 

UnitedHealthcare members who were in the middle of treatment at a Brown University Health hospital at the time they went out of network may qualify for continuity of care. Continuity of care provides continued in-network benefits for a period of time after a hospital or physician leaves our network. An example of a patient who may qualify includes but is not limited to:

• Patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed cancer, or those currently in active cancer treatment. 

UnitedHealthcare members can apply for continuity of care any time. People who have questions about continuity of care, how to apply or whether they might be eligible, should call the number on their health plan ID card.

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