Johns Hopkins Medicine and UnitedHealthcare Dispute Could Affect District 16 Patients

Dear Neighbor,

This week, Johns Hopkins Medicine, which owns Suburban Hospital here in Bethesda and Sibley Hospital just over the line in DC, sent a letter to patients and families with some very concerning news.

Beginning August 25, 2025, Johns Hopkins no longer was part of the UnitedHealthcare network (other than one facility in Florida). That means UnitedHealthcare may cover less, or even none, of the care you receive at Johns Hopkins locations. This could affect you if you have UnitedHealthcare directly or if your plan uses the UnitedHealthcare network, like GEHA, for example, does for many federal employees and retirees.

What Hopkins is Saying

Hopkins says this is not just about money but about patient care. According to them, United’s frequent use of pre-authorizations and care denials delays critical treatments, takes away valuable time that doctors and nurses should be spending on patients, and puts health at risk. Hopkins has said it will not sign a contract that allows an insurance company to put profits ahead of patients.

Why It Matters Here at Home

We already know how hard it is to get a timely appointment in Maryland because of our doctor shortage. Even emergency room visits often take much too long, and Maryland has some of the longest emergency room waiting times in the country. Doctors should be able to make medical decisions with their patients without needing approval from insurance company staff. 

It is especially troubling that patients who are already admitted at Suburban, Sibley, or other Hopkins hospitals could suddenly face higher out-of-pocket costs or even be transferred to another hospital in the middle of their treatment.

Looking Ahead

UnitedHealthcare and Johns Hopkins need to settle this quickly and put patients first. Families in District 16 should not be caught in the middle of a fight between these two large institutions.

I am also looking at whether the state should step in. One idea I am considering is banning insurers from dropping coverage for patients who are already admitted to a hospital when contract negotiations break down. No patient should be asked to choose between paying thousands of dollars out of pocket or being moved to another facility while they are still receiving care, simply because they happened to be in the hospital when the negotiations broke down.

As always, I want to hear from you. If you or your family are directly impacted, or if you have thoughts on what the state can or should do to make things better, please reach out. Your feedback helps guide my work every day.

Delegate Teresa Woorman, District 16

www.teresawoorman.com 

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