United Healthcare and Memorial Sloan Kettering Contract Dispute Puts Cancer Patients at Risk

Contract Negotiations and Patient Impact

• ⚠️ Thousands of cancer patients are at risk of losing critical coverage if United Healthcare and Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) do not reach a contract agreement.
• 💔 Sheila Colt, a cancer survivor, faces the potential loss of coverage from MSK, a center that saved her life and where she underwent preventative surgeries.
• 🗓️ The current contract is set to expire on June 30th, 2025, with potential out-of-network status for most United Healthcare and Oxford plan patients starting July 1st.

Scope of the Dispute

• 👥 Over 19,000 patients are currently covered under the contract between United Healthcare and MSK.
• 🏥 If no agreement is reached, MSK will become out-of-network for most United Healthcare or Oxford plan patients, impacting access to care.
• 💸 While insurance may cover treatment, out-of-pocket expenses like travel and related care costs can still add up significantly.

Continuity of Care and Next Steps

• 📞 United Healthcare states that patients undergoing treatment may qualify for continuity of care, providing continued in-network benefits for a specified period.
• ⚖️ New York's 60-day cooling-off rule offers some protection for fully insured plans, extending in-network access through August 30th, but this does not apply to physician services or ASO plans.
• 🤝 Mediation is underway, with both MSK and United Healthcare expressing hope for an agreement that is affordable for consumers and employers.
• 💬 Both organizations encourage patients to use their services to help navigate the situation.