BayCare, UnitedHealthcare 10‑day deadline

BayCare and UnitedHealthcare are heading into the final days of contract talks with a May 31 deadline that could take one of the Tampa Bay region’s largest hospital systems out of network for many patients. BayCare said nearly 150,000 UnitedHealthcare members could lose in-network rates if no new agreement is reached, while UnitedHealthcare said BayCare hospitals, facilities and physicians remain in network for now. The first change date identified by both sides is June 1, 2026, for employer-sponsored commercial plans and Medicare Advantage plans. Medicaid plans would follow on June 15, according to the companies’ public notices. ### When do patients actually lose in-network access? May 31 is the contract deadline, and June 1 is the first date when BayCare could move out of network for several UnitedHealthcare plans if talks fail. UnitedHealthcare said the June 1 date applies to employer-sponsored commercial plans and Medicare Advantage plans, including Dual Special Needs and group retiree plans. BayCare’s patient notice says the same June 1 date would also apply to United Behavioral Health, also known as Optum, with Medicaid plans changing June 15. (tampabay.com) For now, both companies say nothing changes immediately. BayCare told patients to keep scheduled appointments and procedures, and UnitedHealthcare said BayCare facilities and physicians continue to remain in network while negotiations continue. ### Which patients and plans are in the middle of this dispute? BayCare said roughly 147,000 to nearly 150,000 UnitedHealthcare patients in Florida could be affected if the contract expires without a replacement. (uhc.com) The health system operates hospitals, physician practices and outpatient sites across the Tampa Bay area, making the dispute significant for patients who use BayCare for routine care, specialty visits or hospital services. UnitedHealthcare’s public notice names employer-sponsored commercial coverage, Medicare Advantage plans and Medicaid plans as the affected categories. BayCare’s notice also names United Behavioral Health/Optum plans. Patients with traditional Medicare or Medicare supplement coverage are not described by BayCare as part of the contract termination notice. ### What are BayCare and UnitedHealthcare saying publicly? (tampabay.com) UnitedHealthcare said on its BayCare negotiations page that its “top priority” is reaching an agreement that is affordable for Florida families and employers while preserving access to the system. The insurer also said contract negotiations with health systems are routine and that most are resolved without disruption to in-network care. BayCare said on its patient information page that United Healthcare has been “unwilling to come to a fair and reasonable” agreement. (uhc.com) The health system said a failure to reach a deal could force patients to find new physicians, new facilities or travel farther for in-network care. ### How unusual is a deadline like this? Troy Quast, a health economics professor at the University of South Florida, told Fox 13 Tampa Bay that stalled renegotiations between insurers and hospital systems are common and often go to the wire. “These tend to resolve at the last minute,” Quast said, adding that the process creates stress for patients. (uhc.com) (baycare.org) The BayCare dispute is also not happening in isolation. The Tampa Bay Times reported that similar contract tensions have surfaced elsewhere, including another UnitedHealthcare standoff involving NewYork-Presbyterian. ### What should patients watch over the next 10 days? June 1 is the next concrete milestone, and BayCare and UnitedHealthcare are expected to post updates on their public negotiation pages if a deal is reached or deadlines change. (fox13news.com) Until then, BayCare says patients should keep scheduled care, and UnitedHealthcare says BayCare remains in network for now. (uhc.com) (tampabay.com)