| The dispute is over: Continuum Health Partners | | | | employers and health plan participants to balance |
| and UnitedHealthcare signed a new contract | | | | affordability and access." |
| Wednesday night after months of sometimes | | | | Ms. Levin, who is Continuum's corporate senior |
| tense negotiations. The contract is for all product | | | | vice president in charge of managed care, wrote |
| lines, including commercial, Medicare and Medicaid, | | | | to providers in December to explain the dispute. |
| and is effective retroactively to March 1. | | | | "United took the position that if we didn't agree to |
| "We're pleased with the outcome," said Ruth | | | | their language terms, they were not interested in |
| Levin, Continuum's chief negotiator on the | | | | further discussions," she wrote. She said |
| contracts. | | | | Continuum would try to obtain "the necessary |
| The contract dispute dates back to December, | | | | protections against potential abuse of |
| and Continuum dropped from UnitedHealthcare's | | | | underpayments, denials, unreasonably burdensome |
| network on Jan. 1. United and the health | | | | and costly administrative requirements, |
| system—which includes Beth Israel Medical | | | | etc.—which is missing in their proposed |
| Center, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Long | | | | language." |
| Island College Hospital and the New York Eye and | | | | The dispute escalated in January, when Continuum |
| Ear Infirmary—failed to agree on new contract | | | | filed a request for an injunction in Manhattan |
| terms over reimbursement and other issues. | | | | Supreme Court to stop United from "improperly |
| On one hand, United was trying to hold down the | | | | removing" some 1,500 Continuum doctors from |
| cost of premiums. In January, a spokeswoman | | | | United's networks. |
| for the insurer said it had "a responsibility to our | | | | |