A contract dispute with UnitedHealth Group has prompted physician staffing company TeamHealth to cut emergency medicine physician pay by 4 percent, senior leader pay by 5 percent and executive pay by 8 percent, reports 10Investigates, a news channel in Tampa, Fla.
The pay cuts come after UnitedHealth Group terminated its contracts with TeamHealth. The two organizations could not reach an agreement on reimbursement rates.
The cuts will affect physicians staffed at hospitals around the country, including Tampa General Hospital. TeamHealth employees will also be required to work more hours to receive benefits, and continuing medical education will be "insourced," according to 10Investigates.
For patients with UnitedHealthcare insurance, it could mean emergency room visits are billed out of network, according to the report.
The move could effectively pull down median reimbursement rates industrywide, according to an analysis conducted of the dispute last fall by Moody's Investors Service. Read more on that here.
Tampa General Hospital provided Becker's with the following statement:
"Tampa General Hospital and TeamHealth are working in partnership to ensure all patients have access to essential emergency services.
Tampa General Hospital remains in-network for patients insured through United. This matter is between TeamHealth and United.
TeamHealth-affiliated physicians will continue to see and treat patients insured through United that seek care at Tampa General Hospital's emergency department. Patients can still choose to be seen by highly qualified clinicians. Patients will be unaffected financially by this matter between Team Health and United."
Tampa General created a website for patients seeking additional information, available here.
Read the full story from 10Investigates here.
This article was updated Feb. 7 at 8:25 a.m. CT to include a statement from Tampa General Hospital.
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