Patients in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., are facing uncertainty as negotiations between Johns Hopkins Medicine and UnitedHealthcare have ended without a resolution. Approximately 60,000 patients may now need to navigate potential changes in their healthcare coverage due to this impasse.
In light of the situation, Johns Hopkins Medicine has advised patients to directly contact UnitedHealthcare, request continuity of care coverage, or explore alternative insurance choices during the upcoming open enrollment period. Many affected patients, including Charlotte Bosley, received letters from the medical institution informing them of the failed negotiations. Bosley expressed her concerns, stating, “I think it puts me in a place where I have to make real decisions… about how we’re going to move forward to get the care we need.”
The care at Johns Hopkins is particularly vital for Bosley’s family, which includes her husband who has type 1 diabetes and their 13-year-old son, a kidney cancer survivor requiring ongoing medical attention. This past August, on the same day Johns Hopkins was declared out-of-network by UnitedHealthcare, Bosley’s son underwent emergency surgery—a decision made with the expectation of significant out-of-pocket expenses.
The stalemate has also affected other patients like Lindsay Creed, a three-time melanoma survivor. Creed reported that her surgery scheduled for August 26 was canceled at the last moment, causing anxiety over potential delays in necessary treatment. Similarly, Sara Pietrzak, who has relied on her lung transplant team for over a decade, expressed dread over the prospect of losing her specialized care team.
Johns Hopkins Medicine placed the blame for the current situation on UnitedHealthcare, citing “unreasonable contract language” demands that would impede their ability to provide patient care. Kim Hoppe, vice president of public relations for Johns Hopkins Medicine, claimed they had made numerous attempts to negotiate over the past eight months but ultimately found themselves resorting to informing patients of the stalemate in order to provide them time to consider other insurance options.
Conversely, UnitedHealthcare accused Johns Hopkins of abandoning negotiations due to an inability to agree to terms that would prevent patient treatment denials for members of employer-based plans. Joseph Ochipinti, CEO of UnitedHealthcare in the Mid-Atlantic, emphasized the importance of honoring commitments to patients, asserting they would not condone selective treatment denials based on coverage.
In response to the concerns raised, Vincent DeMarco, president of the Maryland Healthcare for All Coalition, offered guidance to affected patients, suggesting they seek assistance from the Maryland Insurance Administration or the Health Education Advocacy Unit of the Attorney General’s office if they experience complications in maintaining care initiated at Johns Hopkins. DeMarco concluded with a call to action for both parties: “please go back to the table and figure this out.”
The Maryland Insurance Administration has expressed disappointment regarding the lack of agreement between the two healthcare giants, underscoring their priority to protect insurance consumers in the state. As negotiations remain unresolved, many patients are left grappling with the fallout, potentially facing significant changes to their healthcare access and coverage options.
