Duke Health's Relationship with UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Is Expiring

Duke Health’s relationship with UnitedHealthcare Community Plan will expire on October 15, 2022. This means UnitedHealthcare Community Plan will no longer be accepted by Duke doctors or at Duke clinics or hospitals.

If you want to continue to see your Duke providers at Duke locations, you must pick a Managed Medicaid plan in which Duke Health participates. They include:

• AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
• Healthy Blue
• WellCare of North Carolina
• Carolina Complete Health

You can change your plan by:

• visiting NCMedicaidplans.org
• calling 1-833-870-5500 to speak to the NC Medicaid Managed Care Enrollment Broker Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
• working with registration staff in your Duke provider’s office.

If you choose to stay with UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, you will not be able to keep seeing your Duke doctors beginning October 15, 2022. You will have to switch your doctors to a North Carolina health system that includes UnitedHealthcare Community Plan as one of their Medicaid plans before October 14, 2022.

Patients with certain high-level care needs, such as pregnancy and some cancer treatments can continue receiving services at Duke under their UnitedHealthcare Community Plan for 90 days following the agreement expiration date -- until January 12, 2023. You may be eligible for this extension if you are:

• a transplant patient
• in your second or third trimester of pregnancy by October 14, 2022
• scheduled for surgery after October 14, 2022
• being treated for a terminal illness, such as cancer
• admitted as an inpatient on October 14, 2022

If you wish to continue with your Duke provider after the 90-day extension, we encourage you to choose a different Medicaid insurance plan. Duke doctors and hospitals will be out-of-network for UnitedHealthcare providers as of January 12, 2023.

If you have a scheduled appointment with a Duke doctor after October 14, you must switch to a Managed Medicaid plan that includes Duke so you can continue your care at Duke. Duke participates in the following Managed Medicaid plans:

• AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
• Healthy Blue
• WellCare of North Carolina
• Carolina Complete Health

If you don’t change your plan, you will remain enrolled with UnitedHealthcare Community Plan and no longer be able to continue with your Duke doctors.

You will maintain your old coverage until the end of the month. Your new plan coverage will begin the first of the month following your request to change plans. Your new health plan will mail you information and a new Medicaid ID card. You will use this new Medicaid ID card to get health care services.

For more information, visit NCMedicaidPlans.gov or call 1-833-870-5500 to speak to the NC Medicaid Managed Care Enrollment Broker. You can also contact us at 1-888-275-3853.