Overview

• Effective Oct. 1, Ascension hospitals, clinics and Ascension Medical Group in Wisconsin are out of network for UnitedHealthcare commercial, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid members.
• UnitedHealthcare members can still receive care at Ascension on an out-of-network basis, which typically carries higher out-of-pocket costs, and some patients in active treatment may qualify for continuity-of-care protections.
• Ascension says UnitedHealthcare’s proposed reimbursement rates do not reflect inflation and rising costs, while UnitedHealthcare calls Ascension’s demands unsustainable and says it offered market-competitive increases and a contract extension.
• UnitedHealthcare covers more than 1.7 million people in Wisconsin, and Ascension operates a large footprint including 10 hospitals and extensive outpatient sites in Milwaukee, Racine and the Fox Valley.
• Both organizations say they are open to further talks, and patients are being directed to seek new in-network providers or review options during the upcoming open enrollment period.