Medicare Advantage patients impacted by a contract dispute between Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) and UnitedHealthcare (UHC) are getting more time to figure out their next move.<\/p>\n
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration has announced a special enrollment period so impacted policyholders can shop their coverage through April 30.<\/p>\n
The special enrollment period is different from the current Medicare Advantage annual open enrollment period, which runs through March 31.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What caused the rift?<\/p>\n
The Medicare Advantage contract between LVHN and UHC ended on January 26, ending in-network access to LVHN providers for more than 5,400 UHC policyholders, a news release from Shapiro’s office said.<\/p>\n
LVHN and UHC blame each other for the impasse.<\/p>\n
LVHN, which is part of Jefferson Health, maintains that, since 2021, UnitedHealthcare\u00a0has reduced its reimbursements by nearly 40 percent without agreement.<\/p>\n
The insurance company denies that, and claims LVHN is the problem because it’s demanding a more than 20 percent price hike in the first year of the contract.<\/p>\n
How to find help shopping your coverage<\/p>\n
During the special enrollment period, older adults impacted by the contract dispute can get help through Pennsylvania Medicare Education and Decision Insight (PA MEDI), the state’s Medicare counseling program, Shapiro’s office said. It is available through the 52 Area Agencies on Aging.<\/p>\n