06/27/2025
Updated June 24, 2025
(DSNP refers to Medicaid)
Brown University Health hospitals to remain in our Dual Special Needs Plan (DSNP) network; hospitals to go out of network for other Medicare Advantage plans, effective July 1.
We have reached an agreement that provides continued, uninterrupted network access to Brown University Health’s hospitals for people enrolled in our Dual Special Needs Plan (DSNP).
However, despite our good-faith efforts, Brown University Health has made its intentions clear that the following four hospitals will no longer participate in our network for other Medicare Advantage plans, including Group Retiree, effective July 1.
Hasbro Children’s Hospital
Miriam Hospital
Newport Hospital
Rhode Island Hospital
Our goal has always been to reach an agreement that is affordable while providing continued, long-term access to the health system’s hospitals. Unfortunately, Brown University Health refused our proposal to extend our contract through the end of 2025 and is seeking to be paid significantly more than any health system in our Medicare Advantage network in Rhode Island.
We remain committed to continued discussions with Brown University Health should they provide a proposal that is affordable for the people we serve. However, our focus at this time is providing people access to the care they need through continuity of care or a smooth transition to another hospital in our network, as appropriate.
Brown University Health’s physicians are not impacted. They will continue to remain in our network at this time, regardless of the outcome of our negotiation.
This only impacts our Medicare Advantage contract for Brown University Health’s hospitals at this time. Brown University Health’s physicians will continue to participate in our Medicare Advantage network on and after July 1.
Brown University Health recently communicated inaccurate information regarding the possibility their physicians would be out of network for our Medicare Advantage plans at the end of 2025. That is not true.
Brown University Health is seeking price hikes that would make their hospitals significantly higher cost than all other hospitals in our Medicare Advantage network in Rhode Island.
Brown University Health is seeking to be reimbursed at rates that would make their hospitals an outlier in our Medicare Advantage network in the state. Agreeing to their proposal would increase overall health care costs while also impacting the benefits our Medicare Advantage members rely on.
We proposed to extend our hospital contract for our Medicare Advantage plans through the end of 2025. Brown University Health refused.
Our proposal to extend our current contract would have provided Medicare Advantage members continued network access to Brown University Health’s hospitals while we continued our discussions toward a potential long-term agreement. The health system refused, potentially and unnecessarily disrupting access to care for thousands of people enrolled in our Medicare Advantage plans.
UnitedHealthcare members enrolled in a UnitedHealthcare Group Retiree PPO plan may still receive care at Brown University Health’s hospitals as an out-of-network provider, should the health system agree to see them.
People enrolled in our Group Retiree PPO plan may continue to receive care at a Brown University Health hospital if they are a Medicare-approved provider that accepts the plan. Their share of the cost will be the same as if they were part of the network.
We encourage UnitedHealthcare members to speak with their local hospital to confirm they’ll continue to see them, regardless of their network status.
For additional information about our Group Retiree plan as well as information on how to find a provider, UnitedHealthcare members should go to retiree.uhc.com.
UnitedHealthcare members who are in the middle of treatment at a Brown University Health hospital at the time they go out of network may qualify for continuity of care.
Continuity of care provides continued in-network benefits for a specified period of time after a hospital or physician leaves our network. An example of a patient who may qualify includes but is not limited to:
Patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed cancer, or those currently in active cancer treatment.
UnitedHealthcare members can apply for continuity of care any time from now until 30 days after a health system has been out of network. In this instance, they would have until July 30 to apply for continuity of care.
UnitedHealthcare members who have questions about continuity of care, how to apply or whether they might be eligible, should call the number on their health plan ID card.
We continue to have a broad network of hospitals throughout Rhode Island and the surrounding region that are readily able to provide high-quality care
Some of the hospitals remaining in our Medicare Advantage network include but are not limited to:
Boston Children’s Hospital
Care New England Hospitals
Fatima Hospital
Kent Hospital
Landmark Medical Center
Massachusetts General Hospital
Morton Hospital
Roger Williams Medical Center
Saint Anne’s Hospital
South County Hospital
Westerly Hospital
Women and Infants Hospital
