SHEFFIELD, Ala. (WAFF) – Two Shoals area hospitals will be the first in the Huntsville Hospital System to leave the UnitedHealthcare network when their contracts end on October 15.
The Huntsville Hospital System terminated its contract with UnitedHealthcare after failing to reach an agreement with the largest health insurer in the country.
Officials have said they want patients to know that the decision wasn’t made lightly and they will continue to pursue a resolution.
However, they said negotiations lasted over a year.
According to UnitedHealthcare, Huntsville Hospital asked for a 25 percent price hike in just a year.
“It’s mammograms,“ a North Alabama health navigator said. ”It’s oncology, cardiology, lab.”
Thousands of people are impacted all across North Alabama, most say they are now scrambling to decide what to do with their UnitedHealthcare insurance.
A health navigator said she is heartbroken seeing some of her patients not know whether to pay more or drive hours away from where they live.
“I’m mad for my patients,” she said. “I’ve had patients that just to see the look on their face when I ask them if they’ve received this letter. And they’re like yeah what am I going to do? It’s just sad. It’s heartbreaking.”
As of now, Helen Keller Hospital and Red Bay Hospital are set to be considered out-of-network starting Tuesday.
Following behind will be Highlands, Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, and more.
Sherry Carter who is a registered nurse said she is terrified for people who have nowhere else to turn.
She said some people, like her coworkers, are mostly stuck with the insurance that their company gives them.
“It may be a single mother that she’s the only one with health insurance and it’s her responsibility to provide for her children and her family,“ Carter said. ”Or it may be the father who is the only one working outside his home and he’s having to use what insurance that we provide him.”
What using out-of-network insurance means for patients is that it could cause rates to increase.
According to United Health Care’s website, being out of network typically costs more for patients.
“I mean the way the world is now,” Carter said. “No one has enough money for anything. Everything is going up. The cost of living is getting so much higher and this extra cost is going to be something that people just can’t afford.”
One patient was set to get spine surgery and was going through the process, now they have to try and schedule it ahead so they don’t lose that coverage beforehand.
Another patient was recently diagnosed with cancer and is terrified that she might have to have surgery that will not be covered.
Officials with UnitedHealthcare said that the Huntsville Hospital Health System’s physicians are not impacted and continue to remain in the UnitedHealthcare network for commercial, Medicare Advantage and IFP members regardless of the outcome of their negotiations.
However, if they have to have surgery at an “out of network” hospital, or get blood drawn by a hospital lab or more, it could cost them a lot of money.
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