Latest news with #BrownHealth
Boston Globe
15-07-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
With Newport Hospital's birthing center at risk amid budget woes, the city council is fired up
Advertisement The Newport City Council is fired up about the potential closure of the birthing center, and it's holding a special meeting at 7 p.m. to discuss a resolution urging Brown Health and Newport Hospital to maintain all maternity services at the hospital. Get Rhode Island News Alerts Sign up to get breaking news and interesting stories from Rhode Island in your inbox each weekday. Enter Email Sign Up Tonight's council meeting also comes after my colleague Alexa Gagosz reported that at least 300 women has their annual OB-GYN appointments scheduled at the Newport Women's Health Services at Newport Hospital Related : The bigger picture: Council resolutions are nonbinding, but they can influence decision-making if enough residents voice their displeasure about a decision like this one. The resolution is sponsored by Councilman a Democrat who appears to have a bright future in Rhode Island politics. Leadership at Brown Health knows this, and might want to avoid a public fight with a future statewide officeholder if it can find cuts elsewhere. Advertisement Khamsyvoravong sent an email to constituents this week with a gloomy subject line: 'The Last Generation of Newporters?' 'Eliminating Newport's Birthing Center will immediately impact the bottom line of the city of Newport and will have devastating impacts on our community's ability to attract families and equitably serve those that are here,' Khamsyvoravong wrote. He urged Newport residents to send a message to Dr. Thomas. 'It's important that he understand, on day one, that access to women and family health is a priority for this community,' Khamsyvoravong wrote. This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you'd like to receive it via email Monday through Friday, . Dan McGowan can be reached at
Boston Globe
10-07-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
‘That's a risk for me': Health system woes force a R.I. hospital to cancel routine women's care for hundreds of patients
Advertisement These cancellations are part of a wider problem within Rhode Island's health care system, where a primary care shortage is Get Rhode Island News Alerts Sign up to get breaking news and interesting stories from Rhode Island in your inbox each weekday. Enter Email Sign Up Spurgas is one of at least 300 women with annual OB-GYN appointments scheduled at the Newport Women's Health Services at Newport Hospital is owned and operated by the largest health care system in the state — Advertisement The exterior of Newport hospital where hundreds of women have had their OB/GYN appointments cancelled. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff Brown Health spokeswoman Jessica Wharton told the Globe that Newport Women's Health Services was down to just two practitioners, and a new gynecologist wasn't expected to begin working until October. 'We made the difficult decision to temporarily reschedule annual OB-GYN wellness visits originally scheduled for July through September to ensure that we can continue to provide timely and essential care to those with urgent, complex, or high-risk medical needs, including pregnant patients and those with active or serious gynecological concerns,' Wharton said in a statement. Related : Spurgas said she was told that she would be placed on a waitlist in October. But she may seek out care sooner, by finding a new provider in Massachusetts. 'I was in shock. They wouldn't explain at all what was going on,' said Spurgas. 'They just kept saying that it was because of Rhode Island's health care crisis. It was very vague.' Earlier this year, Brown Health's executives were considering closing down a dental center, halting major facility projects at Rhode Island Hospital, and discontinuing labor and delivery services at Newport Hospital in order to save money, according to an email sent by top Brown Health leaders to its managers in May that was obtained by the Globe. Related : The budget problems are not unique to Rhode Island's hospitals, and could become more critical in the coming months. Healthcare providers throughout New England will be affected by impending cuts to Medicaid through the ' Advertisement Many women who do not have an OB-GYN, or cannot afford one, seek reproductive care at Planned Parenthood clinics. But Related : 'Defunding is an attempt by lawmakers to make Planned Parenthood stop caring for patients and stop caring about reproductive freedom,' said Gretchen Raffa, chief policy and advocacy office of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, during a virtual press conference on Monday. 'Make no mistake, this is a covert attack.' At Newport Women's Health Services, visits for new and existing prenatal patients, as well as those with high-risk pregnancies or other medical concerns, are unaffected. Experts say those whose routine checkups were postponed should not be worried about the delayed appointments, but should make sure to reschedule them. Advertisement 'Anyone who has an appointment for a Pap or HPV test that is cancelled should just be clear on what the follow-up plan might be, in terms of why it was taken off the books and if they should reschedule, either with their current provider or someone else,' said Fred Wyand, a senior advisor for the American Sexual Health Association/National Cervical Cancer Coalition. Cervical cancer tends to develop over a number of years, and not all women need to be screened annually, he said. 'If you have a Pap scheduled for Tuesday and for whatever reason you can't receive it, you won't develop cancer on Wednesday, but you don't want to fall out of the system.' 'That's what can happen, we lose the consistency and the regular screenings, and that's really when it can become risky,' he added. Alexa Gagosz can be reached at
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
UHC Medicare Advantage patients will lose coverage at Brown Health hospitals on July 1
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A spokesperson for Brown University Health confirmed to 12 News on Wednesday that negotiations with UnitedHealthcare have ended, and UHC's Medicare Advantage plans will not be accepted at Brown Health's four Rhode Island hospitals starting July 1. Target 12 initially reported back in May that UHC had notified affected patients about the ongoing negotiations via a letter. According to a spokesperson for Brown Health, the hospital system had asked UHC to increase its reimbursement rate, as well as 'eliminate their administrative policies that deviate from traditional Medicare, such as unnecessary prior approval and utilization management, that cause frustration for patients and result in extra cost to our health care system.' 'Since both parties held firm in their positions, we mutually decided to end our Medicare Advantage hospital contract,' the Brown Health spokesperson said. 'We proposed extending our contract through the end of the year to provide Medicare Advantage members continued access to Brown University Health's hospitals while we negotiate,' a UHC spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday. 'Unfortunately, the health system refused.' Both Brown Health and UHC emphasized that this change only applies to Hasbro Children's Hospital, The Miriam Hospital, Newport Hospital, and Rhode Island Hospital. Physicians associated with Brown Health and the group's urgent care clinics will continue to accept UHC's Medicare Advantage plans through Dec. 31, 2025, as will St. Anne's Hospital and Morton Hospital in Massachusetts. Medicare Advantage is a type of health plan offered by Medicare-approved private companies as an alternative to original Medicare. Like Medicare, it is available for Americans 65 and older, as well as those with certain severe disabilities or illnesses. Federal data shows that about 60% of Rhode Island Medicare recipients utilize Medicare Advantage plans. In Rhode Island, they're offered by Aetna, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, and UHC. (UHC has not answered repeated requests for comment on the number of patients who will be affected by the change.) Brown Health hospitals will continue accepting UHC's Medicaid and commercial health insurance plans, as well as Medicare Advantage plans from other providers. Starting July 1, treatments at Brown Health hospitals will be billed to UHC Medicare Advantage patients as 'out-of-network' care. However, a UHC spokesperson stressed that in an emergency, members should go to the nearest hospital even if it's not 'in-network,' as the company covers emergency visits at its in-network benefit level. Dr. Johnny Luo, a health insurance expert from Doctor's Choice, told 12 News there are ways to get a new insurance plan if needed. Outside of Medicare's open enrollment period, which lasts from Oct. 15 to Dec. 17, Luo said, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have been known to offer special election periods throughout the year on a case-by-case basis. Brown Health also encouraged UHC Medicare Advantage members to find out if they're eligible for 'continuity of care' protections by calling UHC Customer Service at 1-800-711-0646. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
How to avoid falling victim to Medicare fraud
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Monday is the start of Medicare Fraud Prevention Week, which aims to educate recipients so they don't fall victim. Scammers who target federally funded health care programs can cost taxpayers billions of dollars and put beneficiaries at risk. 'The most important thing that we tell individuals is make sure that you guard your Medicare card,' said Christine Anderson, the health information manager for the R.I. Office of Healthy Aging. She urges Medicare recipients to treat their insurance cards like they would their Social Security cards and not carry them around. RELATED: Some Medicare Advantage patients in RI may lose coverage at Brown Health hospitals According to Anderson, bad actors will get a hold of someone's Medicare information and use it to bill the program for services or equipment that is not needed. She said fraudsters will call a recipient out of the blue and pretend to be from Medicare or the Social Security Administration. 'They usually contact you and say they already have your information and they are calling you to verify your information and all the caller has to do is just verify that,' she explained. If the recipient provides that information to the caller — their Medicare number is compromised. Aside from not giving out personal details over the phone, Anderson recommends that recipients review their monthly or quarterly bills to make sure the services listed are correct. 'We teach Medicare beneficiaries to review those statements that they receive just to make sure that all the charges on there are accurate,' she said. If you believe that you or someone you know has fallen victim to Medicare fraud, first call your doctor, then contact the R.I. Office of Healthy Aging at (401) 462-3000. MORE: What to do if Brown Health, UnitedHealthcare don't strike a deal Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What to do if Brown Health, UnitedHealthcare don't strike a deal
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Concerns are growing after thousands of patients enrolled in UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage plans received notices that they will that they will no longer receive coverage at Brown University Health hospitals if the two sides don't agree on a new contract by July 1. The companies have been in negotiations since the beginning of the year but have yet to reach a deal, meaning patients may have to pay out of pocket at Rhode Island Hospital, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Newport Hospital and The Miriam Hospital. BACKGROUND: Some Medicare Advantage patients in RI may lose coverage at Brown Health hospitals Dr. Johnny Luo, a health insurance expert who runs Doctor's Choice, told 12 News that people shouldn't panic since there's still time for the two companies to come to an agreement. 'Brown University Health systems and UnitedHealthcare have a month to figure this out,' he said. Federal data shows that 60% of those enrolled in Medicare utilize Medicare Advantage plans in Rhode Island. UnitedHealthcare has not answered repeated requests for comment about the number of patients that could be affected. Dr. Luo said his company has been fielding questions from people who are concerned, but noted that there are ways to get a new insurance plan — if need be. 'Oftentimes, we'll see The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), offer special election periods on a case-by-case basis for those folks throughout the year,' he said. The other option is to switch insurance plans during Medicare's open enrollment period that starts mid-October. 'This is the time when folks can either switch to another Medicare Advantage plan, or they can elect Part D prescription plan, go back to original Medicare,' Dr. Luo said. 'No time not to act': Neronha unveils plan to confront RI health care crisis Those who opt for original Medicare often will elect a Medicare supplement plan to help fill the coverage gap, according to Dr. Luo. He said Rhode Island is an underwriting state, which means people will have to go through a medical evaluation process and some could be denied coverage. 'If they have special needs when it comes to health care, preexisting conditions, they may be denied coverage into a supplemental plan coming from Medicare Advantage plan, so that's something to be aware of,' he explained. UnitedHealthcare and Brown Health have until June 30 to come up with a new deal. Brown Health has said the two companies mutually agreed to end their contract, while UnitedHealthcare has said they are still willing to come to the table. 12 Health: Paramedic creates support network for first responders Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
