ECU Health-UnitedHealthcare deal restores in-network care for 100,000+ in ENC
Fri, August 7, 2026 at 7:24 PM
UpdatedFri, August 7, 2026 at 8:04 PM
ECU Health-UnitedHealthcare deal restores in-network care for 100,000+ in ENC
ECU Health and UnitedHealthcare have reached a new multi-year contract agreement, restoring in-network access for more than 100,000 patients across eastern North Carolina
The agreement took effect Friday, Aug. 7, and covers patients with UnitedHealthcare commercial, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid plans
Under the new contract, UnitedHealthcare members will once again have in-network access to all ECU Health providers, hospitals, clinics and services
ECU Health said the agreement also includes reimbursement terms that better reflect the cost of providing care, reduces administrative burdens and removes some barriers to patient care
Throughout this process, patients and families across eastern North Carolina have been our top priority,” said Dr. Michael Waldrum, CEO at ECU Health. “Meeting the mission of improving the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina means ensuring the sustainability of the services we provide, particularly given the ongoing challenges rural healthcare will continue to face. This agreement ensures patients can access the care they trust at ECU Health, close to home, and allows us to move forward with UnitedHealthcare in a way that supports the long-term health of our communities.
ECU Health said the agreement also supports the long-term sustainability of health care services in ENC
UnitedHealthcare also confirmed this multi-year contract agreement in a release sent to News 12
UnitedHealthcare clarified that some ECU Health providers and facilities never left its network during the negotiations
A UnitedHealthcare spokesperson said the agreement restores network access to all ECU Health providers that previously went out of network while maintaining uninterrupted access to those that remained in network
For Medicaid members, the agreement restores access to ECU Health hospitals and facilities, Vidant Medical Group physicians and freestanding outpatient facilities, including ambulatory surgical centers. According to the UnitedHealthcare spokesperson, ECU Physicians never went out of network for those members
For employer-sponsored commercial members, including Surest and UMR, the agreement restores access to Vidant Medical Group physicians and freestanding outpatient facilities. UnitedHealthcare said ECU Health hospitals and ECU Physicians remained in network for commercial members throughout negotiations, UnitedHealthcare’s spokesperson said
The same applies to Medicare Advantage members, including individual, Dual Special Needs Plan and Group Retiree plans. UnitedHealthcare said those members maintained access to ECU Health hospitals and ECU Physicians, while Vidant Medical Group physicians and freestanding outpatient facilities returned to the network Aug. 7
We are pleased to continue providing families across North Carolina with access to quality, affordable care,” a UnitedHealthcare spokesperson said.
ECU Health patients who had appointments canceled or postponed can reschedule through MyChart or contact their provider’s office directly
