Two of the state’s largest medical associations filed a lawsuit against United Healthcare last week for terminating as many as 2,200 Connecticut physicians from its coverage network by February.
According to the Fairfield and Hartford county medical associations, the action will force thousands of patients to seek new medical care and is a violation of Medicare regulations.
“Patients may be forced to change and to reluctantly go elsewhere for medical care, which is particularly difficult for the elderly and, or disabled,” the lawsuit says. “There will likely also be patients so discouraged by United”™s changes that they may even be unwilling to seek covered preventative care.”
The associations allege United’s decision to terminate 20 percent of its physician contracts is an effort to cut costs amid changes from the Affordable Care Act. They say the cuts are only shifting financial burdens away from “itself, a multi-billion dollar company, to the providers and patients, all with the aim of maximizing revenues.”
Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen has reportedly asked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to investigate United’s action.
