Letter to Our Community

Our top priority: Ensuring your access to essential care 

September 2, 2026 

By Merrin Permut, Vice President & Chief Population Health Officer

Legacy Health and UnitedHealthcare are negotiating a new contract that will determine how much UnitedHealthcare pays Legacy for the care we provide to their members.

Legacy is requesting a fair, reasonable increase that appropriately reflects the rising cost of providing care. Like healthcare systems nationwide and especially in Oregon, Legacy continues to face increasing labor and operating costs, as well as growing health insurance administrative expense burdens. 

If an agreement is not reached before Sept. 30, 2026, Legacy hospital services and clinics will no longer be in-network for UnitedHealthcare members, except for emergency care and for Silverton patients. Being out-of-network means that you may have to pay more money out of pocket for services at Legacy. 

Access to quality care close to home matters to everyone, especially patients with ongoing health needs who rely on a care team that understands them. 

Talks continue without agreement

We understand that this contract negotiation with UnitedHealthcare may create anxiety and confusion, and we apologize for the uncertainty it may cause. 

As a reminder, if you receive care at Legacy Silverton Medical Center or any Legacy Silverton clinics, you can continue to see your Legacy providers and access services as usual since they are covered under a separate contract with UnitedHealthcare. Please review our FAQ to learn more. 

What this could mean for you

UnitedHealthcare has not yet agreed to a new contract with Legacy Health. If UnitedHealthcare allows our contract to end after Sept. 30, we’re concerned about how it may affect your care:  

• Disrupting your relationship with your doctor: If you’re forced to find a new doctor, you will lose the benefit of working with your Legacy care team who knows your history and understands your health needs.
• Delays in getting care: The unfortunate reality is that patients don’t have enough access to doctors and nurses. That’s true in many parts of the country and it’s especially true in our communities. Patients often face long wait times to see a new primary care doctor or specialist.
• Traveling farther to receive care: As a community hospital system, Legacy offers quality care close to home through our six hospitals and more than 80 clinics offering primary care, specialty care and Legacy-GoHealth Urgent Care centers. For some medical needs, such as in-patient rehab care, certain pediatric specialties and the Oregon Burn Center, we’re the only provider in the region. UnitedHealthcare members may have to travel farther for care if our contract ends.  

Continuity of care may be available

Certain patients, such as those receiving cancer treatment or pregnancy-related care, may get exceptions from UnitedHealthcare that allows them to continue receiving care from their Legacy doctors with in-network insurance coverage. This is known as continuity of care. However, it’s important to know that this is a short-term solution that requires approval from UnitedHealthcare and will only extend services for a specific period.  

If you are being treated for any condition that requires ongoing care and you have questions about your insurance coverage, call UnitedHealthcare at the number on the back of your member ID card.  

We need a fair, reasonable contract with UnitedHealthcare to ensure access 

To ensure that you and your family have access to the care you need with your trusted health partner, we urge UnitedHealthcare to agree to a sustainable reimbursement increase that reflects the consistent value and actual cost of care we provide.

We need your help to achieve this. Here’s how:

• Contact UnitedHealthcare using the phone number on the back of your member ID card and ask them to support Legacy’s request for a sustainable payment increase.
• Tell UnitedHealthcare how important Legacy is to you and your family and urge them to reach an agreement before Sept. 30, 2026.
• Share your feedback and concerns with your employer. Employers often have influence over health plan choices.

At Legacy, we are here for good. That means we support the health of all our people, our patients and our communities. We are committed to reaching contracts with insurers that put patients and communities first. We will remain at the table with UnitedHealthcare to pursue fair and equitable reimbursement and keep you at the center of these discussions. Thank you for trusting us with your care. 

Merrin Permut, MHA
Vice President and Chief Population Health Officer
Legacy Health