Updated October 17, 2022

Duke Health has left our UnitedHealthcare Community Plan network

Duke Health’s hospitals, facilities and its physicians are now out of network for UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, as of Oct. 15, 2022 . 

We made every effort to compromise and find a middle ground, including proposing to the health system that we extend our current contract to allow us additional time to negotiate without any disruption to you, your family and all North Carolina residents. Unfortunately, Duke refused. 

We know the relationship you and your family have with your doctor is not only important; it’s personal. Please know our top priority is to restore network access to Duke and we are committed to meeting with the system as often as it takes to reach a new agreement. We urge Duke to join us at the negotiating table and to work with us to reach an agreement on behalf of the thousands of North Carolinians we collectively serve.

It’s important to note that you continue to have access to Duke’s facilities and its physicians for all services despite the system leaving our network as long as Duke agrees to see you. We will reimburse Duke as an out-of-network provider for any services they provide. We encourage you to speak to your physician to confirm they’ll continue to provide care for you and your family even after leaving our network. Please be assured that we will continue to cover your benefits and care provided at Duke, regardless of their contract status. You are only responsible to pay applicable co-payments under the Medicaid program.

In the event of an emergency, you should always go to the nearest hospital. Your services will be covered at the in-network benefit level, regardless of whether the hospital participates in UnitedHealthcare’s network.

Please note that this negotiation does not impact our employer-sponsored, individual and Medicare Advantage plans, including our Dual Special Needs Plan, which continue to remain in-network with Duke.

As we continue our negotiation with Duke, we have created the following frequently asked questions to ensure you have the information you need.

FAQs