UHealth and UnitedHealthcare have reached a new multi-year agreement that keeps UHealth doctors, hospitals and services in network for more than 60,000 patients enrolled in several UnitedHealthcare plans, avoiding an August 1 network split for many Miami-area patients.
The deal covers employer-sponsored commercial plans, Individual & Family Plans bought through the ACA marketplace, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Florida Medicaid coverage, according to UHealth. The practical result is that those members can keep using UHealth providers at in-network rates instead of preparing for higher out-of-network costs or a rushed provider change.
What changed
UHealth said the agreement followed 14 months of talks and preserves access to its doctors, hospitals and specialty care. The system described the Preferred Care Network Medicare Advantage plan as a separate agreement.
That distinction matters for seniors in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The Miami Herald reported that UnitedHealthcare said Preferred Care Network Medicare Advantage members will remain in network with UHealth through December 31, 2026, but that UHealth will be out of network for that plan beginning January 1, 2027. United also told the Herald that people with Medigap plans will still be able to receive care at UHealth.
Who should check their card
Patients should check the exact plan name on their insurance card before assuming the deal applies to them. A UnitedHealthcare employer plan, ACA marketplace plan or UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Florida Medicaid coverage is not the same as a Preferred Care Network Medicare Advantage plan.
The difference is especially important for patients using UHealth for complex or specialty care, including services associated with Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center or Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. In-network status usually affects referrals, prior authorization, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs, so the safest next step is to call the number on the back of the insurance card and ask whether a specific UHealth doctor, facility and appointment date remain in network.
What happens next
For covered commercial, ACA and Medicaid members, the agreement took effect immediately and should prevent the disruption that had been looming at the July 31 deadline.
Preferred Care Network Medicare Advantage members have a different planning window. Because UnitedHealthcare says UHealth remains in network for that plan through December 31, members have time to review plan materials, ask about continuity-of-care options if they are in active treatment, and compare 2027 coverage choices before the January 1 network change.
The broader lesson for Miami patients is narrow but important: the headline agreement does not apply the same way to every UnitedHealthcare product. The plan line, not just the insurer name, determines whether UHealth access stays in network.
