Q:  Is Harpeth Pediatrics contracted with UHC?  

A:  Until August 15, 2012 we will be IN-NETWORK with UHC.  After August 15, 2012 we may or may not be participating providers in the UHC network depending on the outcome of our current contract negotiation.    

Q:  Why is the contract in jeopardy at all?  

A:  United Healthcare doesn’t reimburse cost and hasn’t done so for a number of years.  For this reason, there is a growing deficit between our costs and UHC reimbursements.  We can no longer afford to absorb this deficit each year.    

Q:  Is the real problem that Harpeth Pediatrics needs to reduce its costs?  

A:  Before we approached UHC for an increase in reimbursements, we created a budget for our spending.  The physicians who own the practice use a hands-on approach to monitor and manage the budget.  Spending decisions are made by the group judiciously.  We shop around and require that our vendors price match for things like medical supplies, we pay invoices early to get prompt-pay discounts, and we even froze raises for 2 years.  

Q:  Doesn’t UHC reimburse at the same rate as other health insurance companies their size?  Why are you singling out UHC?

A:  UHC is alone among payors of similar size in this regard.  Literally all of our other big-volume payors reimburse us cost or better.  

Q:  Is there anything I can do to influence the outcome of the contract negotiation?

A:  We have been discouraged in our dialogue so far with UHC primarily due to their lack of responsiveness to our questions and requests.  It has been our observation that UHC is considerably more responsive to you, the customer.  For this reason, we hope that you’ll tell your HR representative, your insurance agent, or UHC directly that it is important to you that UHC maintain a contractual relationship with Harpeth Pediatrics by agreeing to reimburse at least cost.  

Q:  Whom can I contact at UHC?

A:  Try one or both of the following people.  You may need to cut and paste their contact information:

 Christopher Parrillo at UHC’s Brentwood office

Christopher_a_parrillo@uhc.com  

or  

Kerri Balbone, VP of Provider Relations

Kerri_balbone@uhc.com