Letter to Our Community - September 18

Legacy urges UnitedHealthcare to reach an agreement before thousands of patients lose in-network access  

September 18, 2026 

By Merrin Permut, Vice President & Chief Population Health Officer

With less than two weeks left to reach a solution that protects patients’ access to high-quality health care at Legacy Health, UnitedHealthcare has still not agreed to a new 2027 contract. If our contract expires on Oct. 1, Legacy’s hospital services and provider-based clinics will no longer be in-network for UnitedHealthcare members, except for emergency care and for Silverton patients. Patients receiving ongoing treatment may contact UnitedHealthcare to request continuity of care, which could keep certain services covered at in-network rates for a limited time. 

We are disappointed in the lack of urgency from UnitedHealthcare 

Legacy remains committed to finding a solution that ensures fair and equitable reimbursement for Legacy and continued access to quality, cost-effective care for our patients. Despite submitting several proposals that include reasonable increases for UnitedHealthcare to support Legacy’s rising costs of care, UnitedHealthcare appears to be in no rush to reach an agreement before our contract expires.  

With massive profits, UnitedHealthcare can easily pay its fair share 

UnitedHealthcare continues to generate significant profits year over year—all while frontline caregivers like Legacy have been losing money. As the largest private insurer in the U.S., UnitedHealthcare reported second quarter 2026 earnings from operations of $3.9 billion, up 86% year over year. 

While Legacy reported a $78 million loss in our last fiscal year, UnitedHealthcare reported more than $447 billion in revenue last year. Since 2021, Legacy’s operating expenses have risen 50% due to inflation and higher labor and supply costs. At the same time, UnitedHealthcare’s payments to Legacy have not increased enough to cover those higher costs, leaving Legacy to absorb more of the financial burden of patient care. With billions in profits and hundreds of billions in revenue, UnitedHealthcare has the financial strength to help cover the rising cost of care instead of shifting more of that burden onto providers like Legacy. 

Our next steps to protect patients 

We regret that patients are caught between Legacy and UnitedHealthcare in these negotiations. With a potential contract termination less than two weeks away, we apologize for the stress and uncertainty affecting UnitedHealthcare members. Given the financial pressures facing Legacy and hospitals nationwide, our health insurance partners must help ensure patients continue to have access to high-quality, cost-effective care close to home. 

Although UnitedHealthcare has not yet agreed to a new contract with Legacy, we remain committed to reaching an agreement. You can help by calling the number on the back of your member ID card and asking UnitedHealthcare to approve a sustainable reimbursement increase. Tell them why Legacy is important to you and your family and urge them to reach an agreement by Sept. 30, 2026. 

For additional information, read our message to Legacy patients with UnitedHealthcare insurance in Oregon and to patients with UnitedHealthcare insurance in Washington and check out our Patient FAQ. 

Thank you for trusting us with your care.
 

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