December 6, 2013

Attorney General George Jepsen today issued the following statement on the preliminary injunction granted by a federal judge that prohibits United Healthcare from terminating physicians from its Medicare Advantage Plan network, from notifying beneficiaries that certain providers will be terminated and from removing or failing to advertise affected physicians in United’s 2014 provider directories:

“This decision is welcome news for the thousands of United Healthcare Medicare Advantage Plan beneficiaries in Connecticut who would be affected by these terminations. I commend the Fairfield and Hartford County Medical Associations for bringing this action to the court on behalf of their members and their patients. This decision confirms my view that these terminations  – unprecedented in scope – offend public policy and threaten irreparable harm to patients whose relationships with their doctors are at risk of disruption. United’s lack of transparency for both physicians and patients has been of great concern. I urge United to abide by the court’s decision and its clear contractual obligations to all affected physicians, not just those who are members of the Fairfield and Hartford County Medical Associations.  Its failure to do so will only compound the confusion United has already caused to thousands of vulnerable Connecticut patients and prospective Medicare Advantage enrollees, who deserve much greater care and respect.”

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