UnitedHealthcare, SSM Health reach multi-year deal
Matthew Sanders
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
SSM Health and UnitedHealthcare reached a deal to keep the insurance giant’s customers in-network for “multiple years.”
SSM Health didn’t say how long the agreement will be in effect in a news release Tuesday, instead labeling it simply a “multi-year” deal. SSM Health operates St. Mary’s Hospital in Jefferson City.
UnitedHealthcare has about 140,000 customers across the state, according to the release.
The announcement follows up a temporary extension of the companies’ old agreement that was reached Dec. 31, 2025. Prior to the agreement, UnitedHealthcare said in an online release that it was negotiating to keep care affordable and uninterrupted, citing rising hospital costs as a factor driving higher premiums and out-of-pocket expenses.
However, SSM Health argued that instead of working with them on an agreement, “UnitedHealthcare is prioritizing its own profits over what its members truly deserve: high-quality, accessible care.” SMM Health also claimed UnitedHealthcare “hasn’t demonstrated a willingness to collaborate on a new, fair agreement, and the expiration date of our current contract is quickly approaching on December 31, 2025.”