Wellmont, UnitedHealthcare Issue Joint Statement About New Three-Year Agreement, Effective June 18

Thursday, June 19th, 2014

KINGSPORT – Today, Wellmont Health System and UnitedHealthcare signed a three-year agreement that will enable Wellmont patients with UnitedHealthcare commercial, Medicare Advantage and Dual Complete plans to have uninterrupted access to Wellmont hospitals, facilities and medical practices.

The agreement, which takes effect today, meets our shared goals of providing high-quality care and keeping costs low for residents of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. The agreement includes competitive reimbursement rates for Wellmont and incentive payments for demonstrating improved health outcomes for UnitedHealthcare members. Wellmont has always supported pay-for-performance models and is strongly committed to better health for its patients through the Wellmont LiveWell initiative.

This successful conclusion of contract negotiations is a direct result of our organizations’ commitment to reach an agreement that would best serve the healthcare needs of the region’s residents. UnitedHealthcare and Wellmont are grateful for everyone’s patience as we worked through these complex issues. We have now arrived at a meaningful contract that will provide stability for those we mutually serve and enable us to serve their needs effectively.