Brentwood, Tenn.-based Duke LifePoint Healthcare and UnitedHealthcare are attempting to negotiate a new contract for some of the health system's employed physicians before a Jan. 1 deadline, according to the Smoky Mountain News.
Here are four notes:
1. If the organizations don't agree to new contract terms before the deadline, UnitedHealthcare members will lose in-network access to Duke LifePoint's employed physicians and could see higher costs as a result.
2. In a joint statement, Duke LifePoint's Sylva, N.C.-based Harris Regional Hospital, Clyde, N.C.-based Haywood Regional Medical Center and Bryson City, N.C.-based Swain Community Hospital said they "are working with UnitedHealthcare in good faith and hope to have a 2019 employed physician services contract in place before the end of the year."
3. But, the hospitals claim UnitedHealthcare's physician pay rates are "significantly below market average," which they describe as "simply unsustainable long-term."
4. However, UnitedHealthcare spokesperson Cole Manbeck told the Smoky Mountain News Duke LifePoint was stalling in negotiations. "We provided Duke LifePoint a comprehensive proposal for the physicians impacted by this negotiation more than two months ago," he said. "Unfortunately, Duke LifePoint has chosen to put our members in the middle of this and has stalled our negotiation efforts for months, failing to provide us a single proposal or inform us what they are seeking in this negotiation."