Uniontown Hospital to accept Highmark Medicare plans dropped last year
Individuals insured under Highmark Medicare plans that were dropped by Uniontown Hospital at the end of 2018 will be able to resume in-network coverage at the Fayette County facility beginning July 1.
Uniontown Hospital announced Friday that it will once again accept Advantage Plan, HMOs and PPOs under Highmark Medicare after the hospital and Highmark reached a new multi-year agreement.
Included in coverage under the new, multi-year agreement are Security Blue, Freedom Blue and Community Blue managed care products.
The agreement comes after Uniontown Hospital announced last fall that beginning Jan. 1, the hospital would no longer serve as an in-network facility for individuals — mostly senior citizens — who use Advantage Plans, HMOs and PPOs under Highmark Medicare due the two entities failing to reach an agreement during contract negotiations last year.
At the time, Uniontown Hospital stated that the insurance company was not able to meet the hospital’s terms during negotiations. Highmark officials said the hospital was asking for an excessive rate increase.
After the failed negotiations, Uniontown Hospital and Highmark returned to the bargaining table to hash out a deal that will return in-network coverage to those affected by the change, said hospital officials.
“We were able to go back to the table with Highmark and reach a new agreement that will allow area residents with these plans to continue to use our hospital as their local in-network option for care,” Uniontown Hospital CEO Steve Handy said Friday in a press release.
Hospital officials have estimated that about 2%, or a couple thousand, of its patients receive coverage under the affected plans.
The new agreement regarding Highmark Medicare products does not affect any other Highmark plans, including all commercial plans (those that individuals have through an employer), which remain in network at Uniontown Hospital, the hospital said.
Hospital officials said the timing of a new, long-term deal regarding Medicare products is significant following an announcement made Monday by UPMC and Highmark that the two health care giants have reached a 10-year-agreement to allow many Highmark patients to use UPMC hospitals and physicians.
The move means that many area residents with Highmark insurance will continue to be able to use the UPMC Cancer Center for care and be considered in-network, as well as UPMC Children’s Hospital.