Carriers & the market
UT Health East Texas and UnitedHealthcare Extend Agreement 45 Days, Keeping Medicare Advantage Members in Network Through Mid-October
The two sides were heading for a September 1 contract expiration that would have cut off in-network access for about 50,000 patients, roughly half of them seniors. A 45-day extension gives both parties until about October 15 to reach a multi-year deal.
By the Goodsurance editorial teamAugust 26, 2026
UT Health East Texas and UnitedHealthcare have agreed to extend their current network agreement for 45 days, shifting the contract deadline from September 1 to approximately October 15, while negotiations toward a multi-year deal continue.
The extension keeps all UT Health East Texas hospitals, clinics, and employed physicians in-network for UHC members during this period, including those enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. About 50,000 East Texans carry UHC insurance and receive care at UT Health facilities, with approximately 25,000 of them being seniors whose coverage may include Medicare Advantage plans.
UT Health East Texas and UHC extended their contract 45 days, keeping roughly 25,000 seniors in-network at least through mid-October while both sides negotiate.
The September 1 date had been one of three simultaneous UnitedHealthcare hospital-network expiration dates across different states. The other two involved NewYork-Presbyterian in New York and the University of Miami Health System in Florida. NewYork-Presbyterian extended its agreement through August 31 in an ongoing effort to finalize a deal, while the Florida contract reached its own resolution. The Texas situation now has additional time to resolve.
The two sides remain at odds over reimbursement rates. UnitedHealthcare has said the increases sought by UT Health East Texas are unsustainable and would raise costs for employers and consumers in the region. UT Health East Texas has countered that its reimbursement has not kept pace with the cost of care after more than a decade of flat rates.
Medicare Advantage members in UT Health's service area retain in-network status through at least October 15. If negotiations break down and no further extension is reached, members could face out-of-network costs or need to apply for continuity-of-care protection.
In plain words
A hospital system in East Texas called UT Health and the insurance company UnitedHealthcare were about to stop working together on September 1. That would have meant about 50,000 patients, many of them seniors on Medicare Advantage, might pay more or not be able to use UT Health hospitals at normal prices. Both sides agreed to wait 45 more days, until about October 15, to have more time to make a deal. They disagree about how much the insurance company should pay the hospital. For now, Medicare Advantage members in the area can still see their UT Health doctors at regular in-network prices.
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Source: UT Health East Texas
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