UnitedHealthcare announced Tuesday that an agreement has been reached with UF Health to restore network access to its health system starting May 5.

According to a UnitedHealthcare press release, the new multi-year contract will allow people to enroll in the following plans to have network access to UF Health’s physicians, facilities and hospitals:

• UnitedHealthcare employer-sponsored commercial plans
• UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Florida (Medicaid)

UnitedHealthcare and UF Health failed to come to terms on a new contract agreement on Sept. 1, 2024, which led UnitedHealthcare to drop UF Health as an in-network provider.

Network access will also be restored to UF Health St. Johns-Flagler Hospital, physicians and facilities enrolled in UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, including Dual Special Needs Plans, according to the release.

“This new agreement provides thousands of United patients continuous access to premier, compassionate, academic-quality health care throughout Northeast, North Central and Central Florida,” said Dr. Stephen J. Motew, president and system CEO of the UF Health clinical enterprise, in a press release. “We appreciate the patience of our communities and are thankful for all the hard work our health care team has devoted to our tradition of excellence in caring for our patients.”

Other UF Health physicians and hospitals in Florida continue to participate in the UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage network, including, but not limited to: UF Health Gainesville, Jacksonville, Leesburg or UF Health Spanish Plaines Hospital.

“The contract provides UF Health physicians and caregivers acceptable terms and relief from administrative obstacles,” said Dr. Marvin Dewar, chief executive officer and chief medical officer of UF Health Physicians, in a press release. “We want to protect patients’ access to the expert care they know and trust, now and in the future.”

Editor’s note: This story was updated with quotes from UF Health.