UnitedHealthcare and SSM have reached a last-minute temporary deal that will keep St. Louis-area residents from losing health coverage.
The insurer and regional health care system signed a 30-day extension Wednesday. That will guarantee 140,000 patients continue to get in-network rates at SSM facilities.
The contract had been set to expire at midnight.
The contract will determine how much United reimburses for medical services. SSM has said health care has gotten more expensive to administer. United has said SSM’s proposals were too costly.
The temporary deal will give both companies time to continue to negotiate a multiyear deal.
“Our goal in contract negotiations has always been to maintain patients’ access to high-quality, affordable care for years to come,” said Jeremy Fotheringham, regional president of SSM Health in St. Louis and Illinois.
SSM said that if patients have canceled or postponed any appointments while the contract was in limbo, they should reschedule online via MyChart or call their provider’s office to resume care as they normally would.
Health systems and insurance companies regularly negotiate how much insurers reimburse health systems for care. Insurers can use their massive networks of patients as leverage, while large health systems can similarly use their big size as a bargaining chip.
