UnitedHealthcare and WakeMed Reach Agreement

A new three-year agreement between UnitedHealthcare and WakeMed allows certain insurance policyholders to visit WakeMed doctors once again.

This agreement, set to take effect on October 15, ensures that WakeMed hospitals, outpatient clinics, and specialty physicians are back in-network for those enrolled in UnitedHealthcare’s commercial plans. WakeMed stated that primary care physicians, ambulatory surgery centers, and 210 PET imaging facilities were already included in the contract prior to this new deal.

However, it’s important to note that the contract does not cover WakeMed’s hospitals, specialists, or home health services for United’s Medicare Advantage plans.

“Throughout these negotiations, WakeMed was dedicated to finding terms that would restore access for UnitedHealthcare members while appropriately recognizing the care and services we provide to our community,” commented Stephanie Sessoms, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at WakeMed. “The new agreement introduces significant improvements in reimbursement and contractual terms, establishing a more sustainable foundation for our ongoing commercial relationship.”

WakeMed is in the process of informing patients, providers, and community members about the new agreement.

This contract dispute initially surfaced in September 2025, when WakeMed alerted patients that those with UnitedHealthcare insurance might lose in-network access if an agreement wasn’t reached. Subsequently, UnitedHealthcare declared that WakeMed facilities would be considered out-of-network.

The two organizations had previously encountered a similar contract lapse in 2022, which resulted in some UnitedHealthcare patients losing in-network status for a period of six months until a new agreement was established.