UnitedHealthcare and NewYork-Presbyterian Medicare Advantage Network Dispute Nears Deadline

UnitedHealthcare and NewYork-Presbyterian face a critical deadline to finalize their Medicare Advantage network agreement before January 1, 2026. Failure to reach an agreement would result in NewYork-Presbyterian being removed from UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage network, potentially disrupting access for thousands of Medicare Advantage members across multiple hospitals and organizations. NewYork-Presbyterian is committed to maintaining in-network access for Medicare Advantage patients and is exploring alternative health plan options if the agreement falls through. UnitedHealthcare aims to negotiate an affordable contract while ensuring continuity of care, promising to assist members with transitions if NewYork-Presbyterian exits the network. The uncertainty surrounding the negotiation has caused concern among Medicare Advantage members who rely on NewYork-Presbyterian for ongoing care, highlighting the potential impacts on patient access, continuity of care, and out-of-network costs. The situation underscores challenges in insurer-provider contract negotiations affecting Medicare Advantage plan networks.