AMA backs challenge against UnitedHealth Medicare Advantage network cuts

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UnitedHealth is making more enemies than friends right now as another major organization opposes the insurer's plans to drop 19 percent of its Medicare Advantage network in Connecticut.

The American Medical Association, along with 30 smaller medical groups, issued a brief stating they support the doctor associations fighting to stop UnitedHealth from cutting Medicare Advantage providers. The largest insurer in the country is preparing to appeal a preliminary injunction issued by a federal judge only hours before it was set to cut thousands of Medicare Advantage providers, the Hartford Business reported.

In a brief filed with the court, the AMA argued the U.S. Court of Appeals should uphold the injunction, despite UnitedHealth's claim that it faces the greater hardship if it must keep the doctors in its network.

"United's administrative concerns are greatly outweighed by the very real harm that would be caused by the disruption of the physician-patient relationships and the harm to these patients' care which would result without the protection of the injunction," the brief states, according to the AMA Wire.

"United's conduct, if not enjoined," the brief states, "would have devastating effects."

The announcement comes only two weeks after state of Connecticut and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D) publicly declared their opposition to UnitedHealth's Medicare Advantage cuts.

To learn more:
- read the Hartford Business article
- see the AMA Wire article

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