A Jonesboro hospital has decided to end its negotiation with one of the nation’s largest health insurance companies. A statement from St. Bernards Healthcare CEO Chris Barber says in part, “For more than a year, UnitedHealthcare has consistently delayed measures to improve how it partners with our hardworking healthcare providers who practice at St. Bernards. From our perspective, UnitedHealthcare continues to require unnecessary red tape for our providers and patients alike, restricting how we provide care and when our patients receive it . . .Therefore, there will be no further discussion pertaining to the 2024 plan year.”
The result is on March 1 more than 300 healthcare providers in the St. Bernards Healthcare system transitioned to out-of-network status.
On May 1 St. Bernards Medical Center and all related inpatient and outpatient facilities will become out-of-network.