Patient feels fallout after St. Peter’s Health Partners, UnitedHealthcare split ways

ALBANY, N.Y. (WNYT)- As of July 1 St. Peter’s Health Partners (SPHP) is out of network for individuals with UnitedHealthcare (UHC). People like Donna Maloney, who use UHC as a secondary insurance to Medicare.

Maloney said she was at her doctors office July 2 in the examination room when another staff member came in, interrupting a conversation with her doctor. The staff member confirmed Maloney had UHC as a secondary insurance, then told her SPHP no longer accepts UHC.

Maloney said she left the doctors feeling discouraged. “The doctor came in, he saw me,” she said. “So then I moved out to the front desk and I had to sign some papers, you know, showing responsibility for the co-pay.”

It was then Maloney started thinking about people who would turn away from visiting their doctor because of the out of pocket expenses.

“We continue to actively negotiate with UnitedHealthcare to reach an agreement where we are fairly reimbursed for the care and services patients depend on and need,” SPHP said in a statement. “Unfortunately, despite making billions, UnitedHealthcare chooses to propose increases far below market rates.”