Updated June xx, 2025

We are actively negotiating with Vanderbilt Health System with the goal of renewing our network relationship

For the past several months we have been engaged in negotiation with Vanderbilt Health System (Vanderbilt) regarding our network relationship.

Our top priority is to utilize the time remaining on our contract to reach a long-term agreement that is affordable while ensuring our ability to continue offering the competitive benefits our members rely on.

If we are unable to reach an agreement, Vanderbilt’s hospitals, facilities and its physicians will be out of network for members enrolled in the following plans, effective August 1, 2025:

  • Employer-sponsored and individual commercial plans
  • Medicare Advantage plans, including Group Retiree plans 

Dual Special Needs Plans (DSNP) are not impacted by this negotiation.

We are fully committed to engaging in productive, good-faith discussions and urge Vanderbilt to work with us to reach an agreement that is affordable for families and employers in Tennessee

Our top priority is to reach an agreement and ensure the people we serve in Nashville have continued, uninterrupted network access to affordable health care at Vanderbilt’s hospitals and physicians.

We will remain at the negotiating table with Vanderbilt for as long as it takes to reach an agreement. We hope Vanderbilt shares our commitment and works with us on solutions that are affordable for consumers and employers in Tennessee.

We are proposing meaningful rate increases that will ensure Vanderbilt’s hospitals and physicians continue to be compensated at market-competitive rates

We have a responsibility to provide the people we serve with access to quality health care while also helping to contain rapidly rising health care costs.

Maintaining fair and competitive agreements with the hospitals and providers in our network is critical to our ability to meet this commitment for consumers and employers.

That’s why we continue to compromise and have proposed meaningful rate increases that ensure Vanderbilt continues to be reimbursed at market-competitive rates while also balancing affordability for the people and employers we serve. 

We have created the following FAQs to ensure you and your family have the information needed regarding next steps as well as details to help meet your health care needs.

FAQs

We are actively meeting with Vanderbilt with the goal of renewing our network relationship so that the members we serve have continued access to Vanderbilt’s hospitals and physicians. We want to keep Vanderbilt in our network and are committed to engaging in productive discussions.

In the event we are unable to reach an agreement, Vanderbilt’s hospitals and providers in Tennessee will be out of network for people enrolled in the following plans, effective August 1, 2025:

  • Employer-sponsored and individual commercial plans
  • Medicare Advantage plans, including Group Retiree plans 

Dual Special Needs Plans (DSNP) are not impacted by this negotiation.

If we are unable to reach an agreement with Vanderbilt, the following hospitals will be out of network on August 1, 2025:

  • Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital
  • Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital
  • Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital
  • Vanderbilt University Medical Center
  • Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital

This negotiation impacts the following benefit plans:

  • Employer-sponsored and individual commercial plans
  • Medicare Advantage plans, including Group Retiree plans 

Dual Special Needs Plans (DSNP) are not impacted by this negotiation.

Members enrolled in our Medicare Advantage PPO plans may receive care from an out-of-network provider, if the provider is a Medicare participating provider which accepts the plan.

 

If members have a Group Retiree PPO plan, the member’s share of the cost is typically the same as if the provider was part of the network.

UnitedHealthcare Group Retiree members are encouraged to speak with the provider to confirm they will provide care, regardless of their network status.

For support finding in-network physicians, members can call the customer care number on their health plan ID card or visit their plan’s website:

Yes. We are negotiating with Vanderbilt in good faith and are hopeful we will reach an agreement at fair, market-competitive rates that will ensure the people we serve can continue to afford care at the health system’s hospitals and providers.  

We will remain at the negotiating table with Vanderbilt for as long as it takes to reach an agreement that ensures continued access to quality, affordable care.

We understand that network changes can be difficult for our members. Our priority is to ensure our members have access to the care they need through a robust network of hospitals and physicians.

If we are unable to renew our agreement with Vanderbilt, the people we serve will continue to have access to in-network care from a broad network of providers and hospitals in Nashville, including:

  • Marshall Medical Center
  • Unity Medical Center
  • Centennial Medical Center
  • Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital
  • Nashville General Hospital
  • Summit Medical Center

For support finding in-network physicians, members can call the customer care number on their health plan ID card or visit their plan’s website:

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

UnitedHealthcare members who are in the middle of treatment at a Vanderbilt hospital or with a Vanderbilt physician may qualify for continuity of care, which provides continued in-network benefits for a specified period of time after a hospital or physician leaves our network. Some examples of patients who may qualify include, but are not limited to:

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

Members who have questions about continuity of care should call the number on their health plan ID card.

For support finding in-network physicians, members can call the customer care number on their health plan ID card or visit their plan’s website: