Integris Health and United Healthcare Dispute Leaves Patients in Oklahoma City Concerned

As the deadline for negotiations approaches, many patients are facing uncertainty regarding in-network care due to a dispute between Integris Health and United Healthcare. Rashaun Pryor, a United Healthcare policyholder, expressed his distress after receiving an email from Integris indicating that his healthcare could be considered out-of-network if an agreement isn’t reached. “I’m in complete shock,” he said. He shared the gravity of his situation, mentioning his congestive heart failure, A-FIB, and an enlarged heart. His mother is also waiting for a heart transplant, making care at Integris especially crucial for him.

Pryor feels a deep connection to the providers at Integris, indicating he’d prefer not to seek treatment elsewhere. The looming deadline for negotiations has been set for Saturday, February 7th, which only heightens his anxiety. He mentioned, “It’s scary to think about losing that.”

On its part, Integris Health argues that it pays less than 85% of United Healthcare’s agreed rates, claiming this is the minimum necessary for their operation. The hospital system has reported around 1,500 denials or downgrades, costing them nearly $5 million. However, United Healthcare counters that the 20% increase being sought by Integris would make their health services the most expensive in Oklahoma City—an increase that could raise the cost of a C-section by about $2,500 and an MRI by roughly $500.

For Pryor, the potential financial burden of out-of-network costs feels overwhelming. “I feel like I’m caught in a war that I can’t win. I’m being pulled at the seams,” he reflected. Other patients are also expressing their worries, including a couple expecting a baby in April who shared their concerns about needing to find a new provider under these circumstances.