More than 4,000 people who have appointments scheduled with UNC Health in December are scrambling.
The patients have Cigna health insurance, and their insurer's contract expired this week with UNC Health. Overall, UNC Health said more than 65,000 of its patients have Cigna health insurance.
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Cigna members who use UNC Health systems will need to find a new provider, or pay much higher, out-of-network prices, or choose to pay out of pocket entirely.
UNC Health provided a statement about its negotiations with Cigna.
"Despite trying to negotiate in good faith with Cigna for months, UNC Health has been unable to reach a new and fair agreement," UNC Health's statement reads in part. "That means we are out of network for now. Unfortunately, that will lead to higher costs for some patients."
UNC Health said it remains in negotiations with Cigna. UNC Health said it began notifying patients in October about the end of the contract.
"In some cases, our staff was able to reschedule appointments before Dec. 1," UNC Health's statement reads. "In other cases, we are assisting patients in rescheduling for later dates.
"Our staff is also working with patients to submit 'Continuity of Care' requests with Cigna. Cigna has discretion on whether those requests are approved."
UNC Health also urges patients to call the number on the back of their insurance card to ask Cigna to come to an agreement.
WRAL News has gotten questions from viewers who are worried about when insurance contracts expire for their health care providers.
An overview of insurance companies’ contracts with North Carolina health care companies
A viewer asked WRAL News how to find out when insurance companies’ contracts with health care companies are renewed.
North Carolina’s health care networks, including WakeMed, Duke Health and UNC Health, list online which insurance companies they have contracts with and which insurance plans are accepted at their facilities.
The companies do not make it easy to find out when those contracts expire.
In March 2024, UnitedHealthcare reached a long-term deal with UNC Health and Duke Health.
“While our contract has not been extended, and WakeMed is currently out of network, WakeMed and UnitedHealthcare have agreed to continue negotiations around commercial contracts and meetings are ongoing,” a WakeMed spokesperson wrote in an email to WRAL News. “WakeMed also remains open to reconvening Medicare Advantage negotiations should UnitedHealthcare offer reasonable language and terms.
“We will continue to work in good faith with UnitedHealthcare to reach resolution. It is also important to know that all patients, regardless of their insurance status, may still [receive] treatment at any of WakeMed’s eight Emergency Departments, including the county’s only Children’s Emergency Department.”
WakeMed has an agreement with Cigna and Aetna. Those deals don’t expire until the end of 2026.
WakeMed’s agreement with Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is through May 21, 2027.
WRAL News asked both UNC Health and Duke Health about the length of their agreements with insurance companies. They did not provide information for contract expirations.
In October, Duke Health and Aetna reached a new multi-year agreement.