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Most LVHN providers will no longer participate in our Medicare Advantage network following the health system’s decision to end our contract. As a result, the majority of LVHN providers will be out of network for people enrolled in UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, including Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP), Institutional Special Needs Plan (I-SNP), and Group Retiree plans, beginning Jan. 26, 2026.

A small number of LVHN facilities will be out of network on varying dates that differ from the above, while some LVHN provider locations are not impacted by our negotiation. Please see the table at the bottom of this FAQ, which illustrates the first day each LVHN facility would be out of network based on each benefit plan.

Please note some facilities are currently out of network as of today and will remain out of network.

This does not impact Medicare Supplement plans. People enrolled in a Medicare Supplement plan can continue to receive care at LVHN on and after Jan. 26, 2026.

UnitedHealthcare members who are in the middle of treatment with an LVHN provider or at an LVHN hospital for a serious or complex condition at the time they left our network are eligible 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. An example of a condition eligible for continuity of care includes but is not limited to an individual who is in active cancer treatment.

UnitedHealthcare members must apply and be approved for continuity of care. They should call the number on their health plan ID card if they need assistance or have questions regarding continuity of care or need assistance finding another provider in their area that meets their health care needs.

The people we serve will continue to have access to a broad network of providers who participate in our Medicare Advantage network and collaborate with us to provide quality, affordable care. We recently reached a multi-year agreement with St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN). The agreement provides people enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, including D-SNP, I-SNP and Group Retiree plans, continued, uninterrupted network access to SLUHN’s hospitals, facilities and its physicians.

Key:

• OON: out of network currently
• Remains INN: Will continue to remain in our network regardless of the outcome of our negotiation 

We are actively negotiating with LVHN to renew our network relationship for employer-sponsored commercial plans and VACCN. Our goal is to reach an agreement that is affordable for Pennsylvanians and employers while maintaining continued, uninterrupted network access to the health system.

In the event we are unable to reach an agreement, most LVHN facilities and providers will be out of network for employer-sponsored commercial plans and VACCN, beginning April 26, 2026.

However, a small number of LVHN facilities will be out of network on varying dates that differ from the above, while some LVHN provider locations are not impacted by our negotiation.

Additionally, a small number of LVHN providers also participate in our Medicaid plans, including the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Please see the table at the bottom of this FAQ, which illustrates the first day each LVHN facility would be out of network based on each benefit plan.

We also want to remind our members they will continue to have access to a broad network of providers in the Lehigh Valley area and throughout eastern Pennsylvania. We recently reached a multi-year agreement with St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN). The agreement provides people enrolled in the following plans continued, long-term network access to SLUHN’s hospitals, facilities and its physicians:

• UnitedHealthcare employer-sponsored commercial plans
• UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, including Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP), Institutional Special Needs Plan (I-SNP) and Group Retiree plans
• UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Pennsylvania (Medicaid), including Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

Key:

• OON: out of network currently
• Remains INN: Will continue to remain in our network regardless of the outcome of our negotiation 

No. Medicare Supplement plans are not impacted. People with a Medicare Supplement plan can continue to access care at LVHN regardless of the outcome of our negotiation. 

No. This negotiation only impacts LVHN’s hospitals, facilities and its physicians. Network access to Jefferson Health’s hospitals, facilities and its physicians is not impacted. The following Jefferson Health hospitals will remain in our network, regardless of the outcome of our negotiation with LVHN:

We are actively negotiating to renew our network relationship with LVHN for people enrolled in employer-sponsored commercial plans and the Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (VACCN). People enrolled in these plans continue to have network access to LVHN’s hospitals, facilities and its physicians through April 25, 2026.

Our goal is to utilize the remaining time on our contract to reach an agreement that is affordable for Pennsylvania families and employers while maintaining uninterrupted network access to LVHN.

However, LVHN has made the decision to end our contract for Medicare Advantage plans. As a result, most LVHN hospitals, facilities and its physicians will be out of network for people enrolled in UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, including Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP), Institutional Special Needs Plan (I-SNP) and Group Retiree Plans, beginning Jan. 26, 2026.

LVHN is one of the most expensive health systems in eastern Pennsylvania and is demanding a more than 20% price hike in the first year of our contract for our employer-sponsored commercial plans. LVHN’s demands are not affordable for Pennsylvanians or employers and would drive up premiums, out-of-pocket expenses as well as the cost of doing business for local companies.

Rather than spending the past year engaging in good-faith negotiation, LVHN repeatedly stalled progress in our discussions and failed to counter our proposal for more than six months.

It remains our top priority to reach an agreement with LVHN that maintains continued network access to the health system for people enrolled in employer-sponsored commercial plans and the Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (VACCN). We are proposing rates that continue to reimburse LVHN at market-competitive rates. However, we need the health system to provide a proposal that’s affordable for the people and businesses we collectively serve.

LVHN has made the decision to end our network relationship for people enrolled in UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans. Most LVHN hospitals, facilities and its physicians will be out of network for Medicare Advantage plans, including Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP), Institutional Special Needs Plan (I-SNP) and Group Retiree plans, effective Jan. 26, 2026.

Continuity of care allows UnitedHealthcare members in active treatment for a serious or complex condition with a provider at the time they left our network to continue receiving in-network benefits with their provider for 90 days after they went out of network.

Some examples of conditions eligible for continuity of care include but are not limited to:

• Patients who are pregnant
• People currently in active cancer treatment

In some situations, the continuity of care period could last beyond 90 days. For example, women who are pregnant and are approved for continuity of care can continue to receive in-network benefits with their provider through the course of their pregnancy, including the delivery of the child and post-partum services.

UnitedHealthcare members must apply and be approved for continuity of care. They should call the number on their health plan ID card if they need assistance or have questions.

UnitedHealthcare members enrolled in a Group Retiree PPO plan may still receive care at LVHN as an out-of-network provider should they agree to see them.

The share of the cost will be the same for Group Retiree PPO members as if the provider was part of the network. We encourage UnitedHealthcare Group Retiree members to speak with LVHN 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.

Our members will continue to have access to a broad network of hospitals throughout eastern Pennsylvania should LVHN leave our network.

We recently reached a multi-year agreement with St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN). The agreement provides people enrolled in the following plans continued, uninterrupted network access to SLUHN’s hospitals, facilities and its physicians for people enrolled in the following plans:

• UnitedHealthcare employer-sponsored commercial plans
• UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, including Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP), Institutional Special Needs Plan (I-SNP) and Group Retiree plans
• UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Pennsylvania (Medicaid), including Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

UnitedHealthcare members should call the number on their health plan ID card if they need assistance finding another provider in their area. They can also use our provider directory at myuhc.com.

UnitedHealthcare members should go to the nearest hospital in the event of an emergency. Their care will be covered at the in-network benefit level, regardless of whether the hospital participates in our network.