Monte to stop accepting UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage

Monte to stop accepting UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage
Photo courtesy of Montefiore Health System

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan with UnitedHealthcare, you may want to consider other options.

At least, that is what patients of the Montefiore Health System have been told.

As of December 31, 2017, Montefiore will no longer be able to accept United Medicare Advantage because UnitedHealthcare chose not to renew that contract with their organization.

“Once we became aware of this, we worked hard to alert our affected patients to make them aware of the situation,” said Colleen M. Blye, exective vice president and chief financial officer of Montefiore Health System. “Our patients are our top priority and it’s important for them to know that Montefiore continues to accept most other national and regional Medicare Advantage plans.”

Montefiore has been negotiating with UnitedHealthcare about renewing their commercial and Medicaid contracts, as well as their Institutional Special Needs Plan and Dual Special Needs Medicare Advantage Plans, according to Blye.

“We are taking active steps to make sure care to our Montefiore patients is not interrupted,” Blye continued. “Montefiore’s services may still be covered for United Medicare Advantage insured patients who have out-of-network benefits associated with their plans, and on an in-network basis after midnight on December 31, 2017, for certain patients engaged in an ongoing course of treatment.”

Blye confirmed that both Montefiore and UnitedHealthcare have been focused on making sure members continue to have access to the care they need.

In addition, Senator Jeff Klein has been working with Montefiore patients to make informed decisions about their health insurance options.

On Wednesday, November 15, Klein’s office held a forum with representatives from nine other insurance providers for seniors during this transition between United and Montefiore.

The insurance providers included at this forum were Aetna, Affinity, Elderplan, Emblem Health, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, FidelisCare, Healthfirst, Silversneakers and WellCare.

Klein has continued to encourage others still affected by the change in coverage at Montefiore to contact his office.

“Should patients with United Medicare Advantage benefits choose to continue receiving in-network coverage for the high quality, continuity of care they expect from Montefiore, they can change plans during the annual election period which runs until December 7,” Blye said.

For more information or for questions, patients can call the Montefiore customer service line at 855-226-3071 or the Medicare customer service line at 1-800-MEDICARE.

Reach Reporter Sarah Valenzuela at (718) 260-4584. E-mail her at svalenzuela@cnglocal.com.