Lehigh Valley drops UnitedHealthcare
- Lehigh Valley Health Network, now part of Jefferson Health, went out of network for UnitedHealthcare commercial plans on April 26 after the sides failed to renew their contract. - The split affects about 50,000 UnitedHealthcare commercial members in the Lehigh Valley, while patients in active treatment may qualify for temporary in-network continuity-of-care coverage. - The dispute follows more than two years of negotiations and an earlier January 2026 break with UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans. (lvhn.org)
Lehigh Valley Health Network went out of network Sunday for UnitedHealthcare commercial plans after the sides failed to reach a new contract. (lvhn.org) (uhc.com) LVHN said the change took effect April 26, 2026, and applies to its commercial relationship with UnitedHealthcare after more than two years of negotiations. (lvhn.org) UnitedHealthcare said LVHN issued notice to end the contract and was seeking a price increase of more than 20% in one year, while LVHN said United refused rates that reflect local care costs. (uhc.com) (aol.com) Local reports said roughly 50,000 UnitedHealthcare commercial members in the region are affected by the split. (aol.com) (columbiascanner.org) For patients, the immediate change is financial as much as medical. LVHN said people with UnitedHealthcare PPO plans may still use LVHN out of network at higher cost, while HMO members generally would not have out-of-network benefits. (lvhn.org) Both sides said some patients in active treatment can seek continuity-of-care protection that temporarily preserves in-network coverage after a provider leaves the network. UnitedHealthcare said members must apply and be approved. (lvhn.org) (uhc.com) The break does not hit every Jefferson patient. LVHN’s notice said the dispute is limited to LVHN’s commercial contract, and veterans covered through the UnitedHealthcare VA Community Care Network can keep receiving care from LVHN providers. (lvhn.org) This is also the second phase of a broader separation. UnitedHealthcare said LVHN had already left its Medicare Advantage network on Jan. 26, 2026, while Medicare Supplement plans were not affected. (uhc.com) LVHN is now part of Jefferson Health after the systems completed their merger in August 2024, creating a larger regional hospital network as it negotiates with insurers. (lehighvalleynews.com) (beckerspayer.com) As of Sunday, patients who want to keep using LVHN with UnitedHealthcare commercial coverage are left to check whether they qualify for continuity of care, out-of-network benefits or a transfer to another in-network provider. (lvhn.org) (uhc.com)
