UnitedHealthcare said Wednesday that its New Jersey hospital network now includes University Hospital in Newark, a teaching hospital of the Rutgers University medical school.
The insurer said more than 250,000 northern New Jersey residents enrolled in its UnitedHealthcare and Oxford employer-sponsored and individual health plans now have access to care at University Hospital, an independent medical center with more than 600 physicians and medical professionals and more than 3,100 employees.
Individuals who are enrolled in United Healthcare Medicaid plans already have access to care at University Hospital.
“The expanded relationship between UnitedHealthcare and University Hospital is very good news for our physicians and our patients,” said James R. Gonzalez, chief executive of University Hospital. “This is a giant step forward for University Hospital to become part of UnitedHealthcare’s in-network option and offers UnitedHealthcare plan customers the ability to receive the exceptional medical care and breadth of clinical services that are uniquely offered at our hospital.”
University Hospital is an important provider of health care services, and our enhanced relationship gives UnitedHealthcare plan participants in northern New Jersey greater access to medical facilities and skilled physicians close to where they live and work,” said Michael McGuire, chief executive of UnitedHealthcare of New York and New Jersey.
UnitedHealthcare serves more than 1.5 million people in New Jersey with a network of more than 80 hospitals and 19,000 health care providers statewide.
University Hospital is public, state-owned facility and the principal teaching hospital of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences. It provides advanced care in a wide range of medical specialties and is northern New Jersey’s level I trauma center.
University Hospital belongs to several other health insurance networks, including Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state’s largest health plan provider, with 3.7 million members.
Date: August 6, 2014