SSM Health, United Healthcare contract dispute leaves St. Louis patients facing difficult choices Thousands of patients may need to find new doctors or pay higher costs if agreement not reached by Dec. 31

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – Thousands of patients in the St. Louis region face uncertainty about their medical care as contract negotiations between SSM Health and United Healthcare have stalled.

Patients who use both SSM Health doctors and United Healthcare insurance received letters warning that if the two sides don’t reach an agreement by Dec. 31, they will have to find new doctors or pay higher out-of-network costs.

The negotiations do not involve Medicare plans.

The contract dispute particularly affects patients with chronic illnesses who have established relationships with their doctors. Stephanie Hickman said she finally found an endocrinologist who helped her successfully manage her diabetes after going through several doctors.

“My weight is under control, my numbers are under control and it’s all because of her,” Hickman said.

Patient concerns mount as deadline approaches

Hickman received the letter from SSM Health about the stalled negotiations and the potential need to find a new doctor.

“Right now, it’s like somebody’d got a gun to my head and I don’t know what to do,” Hickman said. “What do I do.”

Jeremy Fotheringham, regional president of SSM Health St. Louis and Illinois, said the health system cannot accept terms that don’t support patient care.

“We cannot accept terms that fail to support the level of care our patients need and deserve,” Fotheringham said. “United Healthcare has a history of aggressive negotiations that impact patients directly, we are focused on patients getting the right care, at the right time, with the highest quality providers.”

Similar disputes affecting other health systems

Contract negotiations between BJC HealthCare and Aetna insurance also dragged on this year, though Aetna says it should be resolved for Jan. 1.

“BJC and Aetna have agreed on key terms and are working to finalize documentation for an uninterrupted contract renewal effective January 1, 2026, for Aetna’s commercial and Medicare Advantage plans. Members will be notified once the agreements are finalized.”

Tim McBride, a policy analyst and health economist at Washington University, said healthcare contract negotiations have become more contentious in recent years.

“I think these negotiations were always happening at the end of a contract period,” McBride said.

McBride said healthcare costs typically rise more than the inflation rate, but the pandemic changed that pattern.

“Coming out of this period when prices were not going up as much as they’re used to in the healthcare sector. They’re used to getting paid pretty well. They now want to get paid better,” McBride said.

Patients at Anderson Healthcare, which serves parts of the Metro East, received similar letters with a Feb. 15 deadline to reach a deal.

“We just want to be able to have our care without it being disrupted. That’s it, that’s fair,” Hickman said.

United Healthcare did not respond to a request for comment. SSM Health created a website to answer patient questions at u.

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