Wisconsin residents are finding themselves potentially squeezed between a rock and a hard place as health care negotiations hit a friction point. Ascension Wisconsin and UnitedHealthcare are currently locked in talks over a contract that, without resolution, may substantially increase out-of-pocket costs for medical care. According to FOX6 News, if a deal isn't struck by October 1, Ascension facilities will shift to out-of-network for UnitedHealthcare members, escalating costs for patients.
This dispute has prompted Ascension to send letters to patients, alerting them of the imminent changes to their network status under their insurance plan. The health system is pushing for what it describes as fair reimbursement rates, which they argue are necessary to keep up to meet increasing costs including inflation and the prices of equipment and medication. CBS58 reported on a letter from Ascension last Tuesday, urging patients to contact UnitedHealthcare or their employer's HR department to discover alternatives that maintain access to Ascension doctors.
Patients currently insured under various UnitedHealthcare plans may be affected by this stalemate. Coverage under employer-sponsored and individual commercial plans, Medicare Advantage plans, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plans in Wisconsin could all potentially lose in-network status with Ascension Wisconsin facilities and doctors. This was detailed on the UnitedHealthcare website and shared by TMJ4.
One particular patient, Cindy Jones-Nosacek, voiced her concerns, noting, "We heard from UnitedHealth last month that this could happen, and now this week, we got this letter from Ascension. It's pretty scary. I've got a physical scheduled for next month," she told TMJ4. With the clock ticking, patients like Jones-Nosacek are hoping to justly to see both organizations reach an agreement soon.
