Yale New Haven Health
We are actively engaged in good-faith negotiation with Yale New Haven Health to renew our network relationship
We are currently negotiating with Yale New Haven Health to reach an agreement that is affordable while providing continued, uninterrupted network access to the health system.
Our current contract with Yale New Haven Health remains in effect through the following dates, which vary by the type of plan members are enrolled in:
- UnitedHealthcare and Oxford fully insured and ASO employer-sponsored commercial plans, including UMR: Nov. 3, 2026
- Medicare Advantage plans, including Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) and Group Retiree plans: Nov. 18, 2026
- UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Rhode Island (Medicaid): Nov. 18, 2026
If we are unable to renew our relationship, the first day out of network for Yale New Haven’s hospitals, facilities as well as its physicians, including Northeast Medical Group and Yale Medicine, would be Jan. 4, 2027.
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 are committed to working in good faith with Yale New Haven Health to reach an agreement that is affordable for the people and employers we serve.
Frequently asked questions
We have created the following FAQs so you are prepared with the information you need in the event we do not reach an agreement.
Our current contract with Yale New Haven Health remains in effect through the following dates, which vary by the type of plan members are enrolled in:
- UnitedHealthcare and Oxford fully insured and ASO employer-sponsored commercial plans, including UMR: Nov. 3, 2026
- Medicare Advantage plans, including Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) and Group Retiree plans: Nov. 18, 2026
- UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Rhode Island (Medicaid): Nov. 18, 2026
However, to minimize any disruption to care while negotiations continue, we are expanding Connecticut cooling off requirements and applying them to the entire Yale New Haven Health System for all UnitedHealthcare plans. This means Yale New Haven Health hospitals, facilities and physicians, including Yale Medicine and Northeast Medical Group, will continue to be considered in-network for all UnitedHealthcare plans, through Jan. 3, 2027, even if our current contracts expire in November.
If we are unable to renew our relationship, the first day out of network for Yale New Haven’s hospitals, facilities as well as its physicians, including Northeast Medical Group and Yale Medicine, would be Jan. 4, 2027.
This negotiation impacts the entire Yale New Haven Health System, including its hospitals, facilities as well as both Northeast Medical Group and Yale Medicine. If we are unable to reach an agreement, the first day services would be considered out of network for all UnitedHealthcare members is Jan. 4, 2027.
We are negotiating with Yale New Haven Health to renew our network relationship for the following plans:
- UnitedHealthcare and Oxford fully insured and ASO employer-sponsored commercial plans, including UMR
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, including Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) and Group Retiree plans
- UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Rhode Island (Medicaid)
The Connecticut cooling off requirement is a state regulation that requires in-network coverage for an additional period of time after a contract between a health plan and a health system ends. In Connecticut, the regulation only applies to hospitals and is only required for people enrolled in fully insured commercial plans.
However, we have agreed to apply cooling off to the entire Yale New Haven Health System for all UnitedHealthcare plans in order to minimize disruption to care for our members while we continue our efforts to reach a long-term agreement. This means people enrolled in the following plans will continue to have network access to Yale New Haven’s hospitals, facilities as well as its physicians, including Northeast Medical Group and Yale Medicine, through Jan. 3, 2027:
- UnitedHealthcare and Oxford fully insured and ASO employer-sponsored commercial plans, including UMR
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, including Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) and Group Retiree plans
- UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Rhode Island (Medicaid)
If we are unable to reach an agreement, the first day out of network at Yale New Haven Health would be Jan. 4, 2027.
Yes. We are actively engaged in discussions with Yale New Haven Health 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. Please call the number on your health plan ID card if you need assistance or have questions. Our dedicated team of advocates are ready to support you every step of the way.
The people we serve will continue to have access to a large network of providers throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island should Yale New Haven Health leave our network.
Please call the number on your health plan ID card if you need assistance finding another provider. You 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 Yale New Haven Health that provides continued access to quality, affordable care.
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.