Hartford Healthcare and insurer United Healthcare said they have come to terms on a multi-year contract, just in time to keep two of the system’s hospitals from falling out of the insurer’s network.
The contract covers services at all five of Hartford Healthcare’s hospitals, as well as ancillary facilities and physicians. It also includes an accountable care plan, which will reward providers for managing medical costs and improving health outcomes.
If the agreement was not reached by Wednesday, the flagship Hartford Hospital and the Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain would have fallen out of United Healthcare’s network, meaning higher costs for some patients.
Approximately 13,500 United Healthcare customers visited one of those hospitals in the past year, according to United Healthcare Spokeswoman Maria Gordon-Shydlo.
The contract also includes United Healthcare’s Oxford-branded plans.
