After Knoxville, Tenn.-based Tennova Healthcare notified patients its contract with UnitedHealthcare expired Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic is reassuring patients and referring physicians that its facilities remain in-network, according to Knox News, part of the USA Today Network.
Four details:
1. Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic and its partner Knoxville Orthopaedic Surgery Center remain in-network with United Healthcare plans. KOC's website displays a banner clarifying that information.
2. However, KOC physicians have affiliations at Tennova hospitals. KOC is a division of Knoxville-based OrthoTennessee, formerly known as Southeastern Orthopaedics, which was created through the merger of The Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic, University Orthopaedic Surgeons, Maryville Orthopaedic Clinic and Orthopedic Surgeons of Oak Ridge.
3. Effective March 1, Tennova hospitals in five Tennessee cities went out-of-network for Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealthcare commercial preferred provider organization plans, health maintenance organization plans and Medicare Advantage plans, according to Knox News. Although Tennova hospitals are out-of-network, Tennova physicians remain in-network.
4. Tennova and United Healthcare had been negotiating since February 2018. A UnitedHealthcare representative told Knox News the insurer was unable to meet Tennova's almost 20 percent rate increase request.