Attorney General Neronha announces updates to the Office’s resource for consumers of UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans
Published on Tuesday, August 05, 2025
Attorney General Peter F. Neronha today announced updates to the Office’s website which reflects new information for consumers of UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans. The Office established the website in June as a consumer resource.
“My Office has received dozens of calls to date from consumers about their UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans and continuity of care within the Brown University Health system,” said Attorney General Neronha. “While we are not directly involved in the Special Election Period, we take our job as the state’s top consumer advocate very seriously and want to ensure that Rhode Islanders have the most up-to-date information on issues that affect their health insurance coverage. Our website continues to address questions about continuity of care and emergency and non-emergency coverage, and now reflects current information on the Special Election Period. We hope this resource equips Rhode Islanders to make informed health care decisions amidst this change.”
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has granted a special election period for consumers of certain UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans in Rhode Island. This follows an announcement from Brown University Health and UnitedHealthcare that Brown University Health hospitals no longer accept UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans as of July 1, 2025. Currently, Brown University Health hospitals are “out of network” for individuals who are enrolled in UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans.
CMS determined that the removal of Brown University Health hospitals from UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage network constituted a significant network change, triggering a special election period. The special election period allows "affected members" the ability to opt into a new Medicare Advantage plan, a Medigap plan, or transition to Traditional Medicare during a two calendar month window. This means that affected members will be able, if they wish, to choose a coverage option that includes Brown University Health hospitals in the network.
UnitedHealthcare will be required to notify affected members of the special election period by sending them a letter that includes information about the special election period. Affected members are "those enrolled in UnitedHealthcare plans who are assigned to, are currently receiving care from, or have received care within the past three months from a provider or facility being terminated from the Medicare Advantage provider network."
The special election period begins the month enrollees are notified by their plan of eligibility for the special election period. The special election period ends two calendar months after the month in which enrollees are notified of their eligibility.
Rhode Islanders enrolled in a UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plan that believe they may qualify as affected members should be on the lookout for written communication from UnitedHealthcare confirming their special election period.
For more information about the special election period, please visit our website.
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