UnitedHealthcare and BayCare Health System reach agreement

TAMPA - Following is a press release from BayCare Health System, dated January 18, 2013:

BayCare Health System and UnitedHealthcare announced today they have reached a new, five-year agreement. Effective immediately, patients with UnitedHealthcare's commercial insurance and Medicare Advantage plans once again have in-network access to BayCare's hospitals, facilities, services and physicians. In addition, UnitedHealthcare members who received care at BayCare on or after Nov. 26 will be considered in-network.

"We heard from our community about how important it is to continue receiving care from BayCare. We worked hard to reach resolution, and we are pleased with the outcome," said Stephen Mason, BayCare's president/CEO. "The new agreement strikes the right balance between fair reimbursements and keeping health care affordable for Tampa Bay area residents."

BayCare is now in-network with the following UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans: AARP® MedicareComplete®, UnitedHealthcare Dual CompleteTM, UnitedHealthcare group retiree Medicare Advantage plans and UnitedHealthcare Nursing Home Plan.

BayCare's physician groups also are now in-network with UnitedHealthcare, including: HealthPoint Medical Group, Morton Plant Mease Immediate Care, Morton Plant Mease Primary Care, Morton Plant Mease Specialists, St. Anthony's Primary Care, St. Anthony's Specialists and Suncoast Medical Clinic.

BayCare's hospitals include Mease Countryside, Mease Dunedin, Morton Plant, Morton Plant North Bay, St. Anthony's, St. Joseph's, St. Joseph's Children's, St. Joseph's Hospital-North, St. Joseph's Women's, and South Florida Baptist.