UW Medicine, Aetna health insurance still far from deal as contract nears expiration

The University of Washington (UW) Medicine and Aetna, a health insurance company, have still been unable to reach an agreed-upon contract, as their current contract expires on June 1.

If the two sides fail to reach a deal by June 1, Aetna-insured patients will not be covered at UW Medicine.

“Our network agreement with UW Medicine ends on May 31, 2025,” Aetna stated. “While our discussions continue, without a new agreement, UW Medicine hospitals and providers will be out of network for Aetna Commercial and Medicare Advantage health plans after that date.”

“We are doing everything possible to finalize contracts with Aetna, that will provide Aetna-insured patients with access to affordable, quality healthcare at UW Medicine,” UW said in a prepared statement. “Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we have not been able to reach a fair agreement with Aetna that is financially feasible and in the best interests of our patients and our dedicated employees.”

UW claimed that other health systems have also had difficulty reaching fair terms with Aetna, causing those institutions to end their contracts with the multi-state insurance company.

Providence-Aetna reach deal in the 11th hour last year

Providence and Aetna reached an agreement that will no longer affect Washingtonians with Aetna insurance.

The health insurer and hospital system agreed to a multi-year contract in 2024, allowing current Aetna clients to stay in-network at Providence hospitals. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement that puts our patients and members first and look forward to continuing to collaborate to support their care,” a joint statement from the two companies read.

The two sides were far apart on terms for some time, only agreeing to a deal with less than a week remaining on their current contract. Providence Swedish claimed its current contract with Aetna was negotiated during “pre-inflationary times” and failed to keep up with costs tied to inflation, such as medications, labor, and “supplies.”

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