Insurance company UnitedHealthcare has reached a contract agreement with Hartford HealthCare to keep all hospitals and facilities in-network for Connecticut patients.
It comes after months of deliberation and disagreement.
Had the two failed to strike a deal by midnight, Hartford Hospital and the Hospital of Central Connecticut would have become out-of-network for United customers, meaning hospital bills would skyrocket.
"The agreement, reached this evening, means all Hartford HealthCare hospitals and facilities are in-network with Untied, and there will be no interruption of coverage for patients with UnitedHealthcare plans, including Oxford-branded plans," Hartford HealthCare spokesperson Tina Varona said in a statement Tuesday night.
Hartford HealthCare Executive Vice President Jeffrey Flaks said the group is "pleased to have been able to work collaboratively with UnitedHealthcare to arrive at this truly patient-centered agreement."
"Hartford HealthCare is a leading provider of health care services in Connecticut through its broad network of hospitals, ancillary facilities and physicians, and this new relationship lays the foundation for future collaboration on health issues that matter to our plan participants," UnitedHealthcare CEO Stephen Farrell, said in a statement. "We are pleased that individuals and families in Connecticut will continue to have local access to critical health services."
