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We are actively negotiating with LVHN to renew our network relationship. Our goal is to reach an agreement that is affordable for consumers 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 beginning on the following dates:

• Medicare Advantage plans, including Individual, Institutional Special Needs Plans (ISNP), Dual Special Needs Plans (DSNP) and Group Retiree: January 26, 2026
• Employer-sponsored commercial plans: April 26, 2026
• Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (VACCN): 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).

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.

Please see the following table, which illustrates the first day each LVHN facility would be out of network based on each benefit plan, if an agreement is not reached. A small number of LVHN facilities will remain in-network regardless of the outcome of our negotiation, while some facilities are currently out of network as of today and will remain out of network.

UnitedHealthcare members should call the number on their health plan ID card if they have questions, including details regarding when their provider would be out of network if an agreement isn’t reached.

Key:

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

In the event we are unable to reach an agreement, most LVHN facilities and providers will be out of network beginning on the following dates:

• Medicare Advantage plans, including Individual, Institutional Special Needs Plans (ISNP), Dual Special Needs Plans (DSNP) and Group Retiree: January 26, 2026
• Employer-sponsored commercial plans: April 26, 2026
• Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (VACCN): April 26, 2026

However, a small number of LVHN facilities will be out of network on varying dates, while some are not impacted.

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

Please see the above FAQ for additional details.

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. 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:

Yes. 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.

LVHN, which is higher cost than peer health systems in the Lehigh Valley area, provided a proposal in December 2024 with demands for a near 30% price hike in the first year of our commercial contract. The health system has yet to move off these proposed cost increases, which 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.

These price hikes would make LVHN the most expensive health system in our commercial network in all of eastern Pennsylvania compared to all other peer systems.

LVHN is also seeking significant increases that would make them equal to the highest cost health system in our Medicare Advantage network in Pennsylvania. LVHN’s demands would drive up overall health care costs while also impacting the benefits our Medicare Advantage members rely on.

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. However, we need the health system to provide a proposal that’s affordable for the people and businesses we collectively serve.

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.