University of Miami Health System (UHealth)

Our goal is to renew our network relationship with the University of Miami Health System (UHealth) while providing people access to affordable care

Thank you for your continued patience as we work to renew our relationship with the University of Miami Health System (UHealth).

We are actively engaged in good-faith negotiation and are exchanging proposals with UHealth. It remains our goal to reach an agreement that is affordable for families and employers throughout South Florida while maintaining uninterrupted network access to the health system.

Over the past several weeks, UHealth has communicated inaccurate and misleading information regarding our relationship. While we recognize this may create stress for patients and the community, our approach remains unchanged. We are focused on reaching a solution through good-faith discussions and a shared commitment to the families who depend on us.

If we are unable to reach an agreement, UHealth will be out of network for people enrolled in the following UnitedHealthcare plans, beginning Aug. 1:

  • Employer-sponsored commercial plans
  • Medicaid (UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Florida)
  • Individual Family Plan (IFP)

People enrolled in our Medicare Advantage Preferred Care Network plan will continue to have network access to UHealth’s hospitals, facilities and its physicians through Aug. 31, 2026. If we are unable to reach an agreement, UHealth will be out of network for Preferred Care Network, beginning Sept. 1.

Negotiating with health systems is a routine part of health plans and health systems working together. We negotiate thousands of contracts each year, and the vast majority are resolved with no disruption to in-network care.

We want people to have continued access to the providers they know and trust, such as UHealth. However, we have a responsibility to ensure that access is affordable. Health care costs are directly affected by the reimbursement we negotiate with health systems in our network. One of the leading drivers of rising health care costs are the prices hospitals charge.

We are proposing rate increases that continue to reimburse UHealth similar to its peers throughout the region while balancing the need for affordable care for hard-working families and employers already struggling during challenging economic times.

As we continue our discussions with UHealth, we also know you may have concerns about what you should do in the event the health system does leave our network on Aug. 1. We want to remind you of some key information regarding next steps should that occur:

If you are in active or ongoing treatment for a serious or complex condition at a UHealth hospital or with a UHealth physician at the time they leave our network you may be eligible for continuity of care.

Continuity of care allows UnitedHealthcare members to continue receiving in-network benefits with their provider for a period of time after they went out of network. Some examples of conditions eligible for continuity of care include but are not limited to:

  • Individuals in active treatment for cancer
  • People who are pregnant

You must apply and be approved for continuity of care. Please call the number on your health plan ID card for assistance applying for continuity of care or if you have questions regarding whether you or a family member might be eligible. Our dedicated team of advocates are ready to help you every step of the way.

Our top priority is providing you with continued access to the care you need through our broad network of hospitals and physicians throughout South Florida

You will continue to have access to a robust network of providers throughout South Florida readily able to provide quality, affordable care should UHealth leave our network. Some examples of other health systems remaining in our network in the area include but are not limited to:

  • Baptist Health Medical Group Physicians
  • HCA Florida Mercy Hospital
  • Memorial Healthcare System
  • Mount Sinai Medical Center of Florida
  • Nicklaus Children’s Hospital

Please call the number on your health plan ID card if you need assistance finding another provider in your area. You can also use our provider directory at myuhc.com.

As a reminder, you should always go to the nearest hospital in the event of an emergency. Your care will be covered at the in-network benefit level.

We care deeply about the communities and people throughout South Florida. We will remain at the negotiating table as long as it takes to reach an agreement. We hope UHealth will do the same. Quality care can and should be affordable—and the people and employers we serve deserve both.

Frequently asked questions

Our top priority is to reach an agreement that is affordable for people and employers while maintaining continued, uninterrupted network access to UHealth. However, in the event we are unable to renew our relationship, UHealth’s hospitals, facilities and its physicians would be out of network for the following plans, beginning August 1, 2026:

  • Employer-sponsored commercial plans
  • Medicaid (UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Florida)
  • Individual Family Plan (IFP)

We have a separate agreement with UHealth for people enrolled in our Medicare Advantage Preferred Care Network plan. People enrolled in this plan will continue to have network access to UHealth’s hospitals, facilities and its physicians through Aug. 31, 2026. If we are unable to reach an agreement, people enrolled in Preferred Care Network plans would no longer have network access to UHealth, beginning Sept. 1.

UHealth is out of network currently for all other UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, excluding Preferred Care Network.

In the event we are unable to reach an agreement, UHealth would be out of network for the following plans, beginning August 1, 2026:

  • Employer-sponsored commercial plans
  • Medicaid (UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Florida)
  • Individual Family Plan (IFP)

We have a separate agreement with UHealth for people enrolled in our Medicare Advantage Preferred Care Network plan. People enrolled in this plan will continue to have network access to UHealth’s hospitals, facilities and its physicians through Aug. 31, 2026. If we are unable to reach an agreement, people enrolled in Preferred Care Network plans would no longer have network access to UHealth, beginning Sept. 1.

UHealth is out of network currently for all other UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, excluding Preferred Care Network.

Yes. People enrolled in our Medicare Advantage Preferred are Network plan will continue to have network access to UHealth’s hospitals, facilities and its physicians through Aug. 31, 2026. If we are unable to reach an agreement, people enrolled in Preferred Care Network plans would no longer have network access to UHealth, beginning Sept. 1.

UHealth is out of network currently for all other UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, excluding Preferred Care Network.

Yes. We are actively engaged in discussions with UHealth and continue to exchange proposals. Our top priority is to utilize the remaining time on our contract to reach an agreement that is affordable for people and employers while maintaining continued, uninterrupted network access to the health system. 

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

UnitedHealthcare members must apply and be approved for continuity of care. People can apply at any time from now through 30 days after a provider has left our network. They should call the number on their health plan ID card if they need assistance or have questions. Our dedicated team of advocates are ready to support them every step of the way.

The people we serve will continue to have access to a large network of providers throughout the south Florida area should UHealth leave our network. Some examples of health systems that remain in our network in the region include but are not limited to:

  • Baptist Health Medical Group Physicians
  • HCA Florida Mercy Hospital
  • Memorial Healthcare System
  • Mount Sinai Medical Center of Florida
  • Nicklaus Children’s Hospital

UnitedHealthcare members should call the number on their health plan ID card if they need assistance finding another provider. They can also use the provider directory on our member website to search for alternative hospitals and doctors.

Yes. We negotiate thousands of provider contracts every year, and the vast majority of those negotiations result in renewed contracts with no disruption for our members, and also no external noise as the negotiations are handled professionally and behind closed doors.

We are fully committed to engaging in productive, good-faith negotiation and remain focused on our goal of renewing our contract with UHealth to allow people continued access to quality, affordable care.

We hope UHealth shares our commitment of reaching an agreement that is affordable for the people and employers we serve.

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.