Fairview sues UnitedHealthcare over 'inaccurate information' on Medicare Advantage plans
Fairview sues UnitedHealthcare over Medicare
Fairview Health is suing UnitedHealthcare, accusing the insurer of false advertising and continuing to list Fairview as in-network for its 2027 Medicare Advantage plans despite Fairview’s decision not to renew its contract.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Fairview Health is suing the nation's largest healthcare insurer, UnitedHealthcare, over what it calls "inaccurate information" about Medicare Advantage plans.
READ MORE: M Health Fairview, UnitedHealthcare contract dispute impacts 125,000 patients
UnitedHealthcare sued by Fairview Health
What they're saying:
Fairview said in a news release that the current dispute started in June when it told UnitedHealthcare it would not renew its contract for the insurer's Medicare Advantage plans. Fairview says that means it will officially go out of network on Jan. 1.
Fairview adds that with the start of open enrollment just one week away, members could choose or renew plans based on inaccurate information, accusing the company of false advertising.
This confusion, Fairview says, could interfere with existing and future patient relationships and create extra costs by requiring the manual correction of UnitedHealthcare's false information.
Despite these notifications, Fairview claims UnitedHealthcare continued to publish directories listing the healthcare system as "in-network" for its 2027 plans.
By the numbers:
Fairview says it serves about 33,000 UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage patients, most of them being senior citizens in Minnesota.
The medicare open enrollment period runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.
What's next:
Fairview has requested a preliminary injunction ahead of next week's open enrollment.
Both companies reportedly spoke during a phone conference with a judge on Wednesday afternoon, and both expected to appear in court on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
UnitedHealthcare response
The other side:
UnitedHealthCare shared the following statement:
"We continue to engage in good faith with Fairview Health in an effort to reach an agreement that is affordable, while maintaining long-term network access to the health system. Should we not reach an agreement, we will communicate to our members the possibility Fairview could go out of network, in accordance with CMS guidelines."
The Source: This story uses information taken from a news released shared by Fairview Health and a statement from United Healthcare.