ECU Health
UnitedHealthcare, ECU Health finalize multi-year agreement
We have reached a new multi-year agreement with ECU Health. This means people enrolled in our Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and employer-sponsored commercial plans now have long-term network access to ECU Health’s hospitals and physicians, including Vidant Medical Group.
We’ve also reached an agreement that provides people enrolled in our Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and commercial plans network access to ECU Health’s freestanding outpatient facilities, including its ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), as of Aug. 7. This provides North Carolinians expanded access to quality, convenient care, giving them another option for services such as outpatient surgeries, imaging as well as infusion and dialysis services.
Please see the following which details what our agreement means depending on the type of plan an individual is enrolled in:
For UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of North Carolina (Medicaid) members:
Beginning Aug. 7, 2026, members enrolled in UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of North Carolina have network access to:
- ECU Health hospitals and facilities
- Vidant Medical Group physicians
- ECU Health’s freestanding outpatient facilities, including ASCs
The agreement also ensures continued network access to ECU Physicians, which never went out of network.
For employer-sponsored commercial members, including Surest and UMR:
Beginning Aug. 7, 2026, UnitedHealthcare commercial members have network access to:
- Vidant Medical Group physicians
- ECU Health’s freestanding outpatient facilities, including ASCs
UnitedHealthcare commercial members also continue to have uninterrupted network access to:
- ECU Health hospitals
- ECU Physicians
There was never any disruption to in-network care at ECU Health’s hospitals or with ECU Physicians for members enrolled in our commercial plans.
For Medicare Advantage plans, including individual, Dual Special Needs Plan (DSNP) and Group Retiree plans:
Beginning Aug. 7, 2026, UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members have network access to:
- Vidant Medical Group physicians
- ECU Health’s freestanding outpatient facilities, including ASCs
UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members also continue to have uninterrupted network access to:
- ECU Health hospitals
- ECU Physicians
There was never any disruption to in-network care at ECU Health hospitals or ECU Physicians for members enrolled in our Medicare Advantage plans.
Frequently asked questions
We have created the following FAQs to ensure you and your family have the information needed regarding next steps as well as details to help meet your health care needs.
You can once again receive in-network care at ECU Health’s hospitals and facilities, as well as Vidant Medical Group physicians, beginning Aug. 7, 2026. Our agreement also restores network access to ECU Health’s outpatient facilities, including its ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), beginning Aug. 7, 2026.
Our renewed relationship maintains continued, uninterrupted network access to ECU Physicians for people enrolled in UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of North Carolina. There was never any disruption to in-network care with ECU Physicians.
You can once again receive in-network care from Vidant Medical Group physicians, beginning Aug. 7, 2026. Our renewed relationship also provides network access to ECU Health’s outpatient facilities, including its ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), beginning Aug. 7, 2026. This provides seniors expanded access to quality, convenient care, giving them another in-network option for services such as outpatient surgeries, imaging as well as infusion and dialysis services.
Our agreement maintains continued, uninterrupted network access to ECU Health’s hospitals, facilities and ECU Physicians for our Medicare Advantage members, including DSNP and Group Retiree. There was never any disruption to in-network care with these providers.
You can once again receive in-network care from Vidant Medical Group physicians, beginning Aug. 7, 2026. Our agreement also provides network access to ECU Health’s outpatient facilities, including its ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), beginning Aug. 7, 2026. This provides North Carolinians expanded access to quality, convenient care, giving them another in-network option for services such as outpatient surgeries, imaging as well as infusion and dialysis services.
Our renewed relationship maintains continued, uninterrupted network access to ECU Health’s hospitals and ECU Physicians for people enrolled in UnitedHealthcare employer-sponsored commercial plans, including Surest and UMR. There was never any disruption to in-network care with these providers.
Yes. ECU Health’s freestanding outpatient facilities, including its ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), have also been added to our Medicare Advantage and commercial networks, as of Aug. 7, 2026. This provides North Carolinians expanded access to quality, convenient care, giving them another in-network option for services such as outpatient surgeries, imaging as well as infusion and dialysis services.
Please call the number on your health plan ID card. Our dedicated team of advocates are ready to assist you every step of the way.