UHealth and Bascom Palmer Patients on Preferred Care Network: Your Options Before September 1

Current as of July 24, 2026. This situation is developing — we are monitoring it closely and will update this article as news breaks.

We hoped to have better news by now. As of July 24, it still stands: UHealth (University of Miami Health System) is expected to go out of network for UnitedHealthcare's Preferred Care Network Medicare Advantage plans on September 1, 2026. Your coverage at UHealth — including Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute — continues as normal through August 31.

Since we published our first guide to this dispute, our phones have been busy with the same questions: Can I switch plans now? What if I'm in the middle of treatment? Should I give up my Bascom Palmer doctor? This article walks through the real options, honestly — including the timing rules that most coverage skips over.

If You're in Active Treatment Right Now, Start Here

If you are being treated for cancer at Sylvester, recovering from surgery, on dialysis, or managing any serious ongoing condition with UHealth doctors, your first move is not switching plans — it's continuity of care.

Continuity of care lets patients in active treatment for a serious or complex condition keep their in-network benefits with UHealth for a limited period after September 1, if UnitedHealthcare approves the request. Requests are reviewed case by case, which is exactly why applying early matters.

1. Call the number on the back of your UnitedHealthcare UCard
2. Say you want to apply for continuity of care for your UHealth providers
3. Have your treatment details ready: condition, providers, upcoming appointments and procedures
4. Write down the name of who you spoke with and ask how you'll be notified of the decision

Key takeaway: If you're in active treatment, apply for continuity of care now — don't wait for September. Approval is not automatic, and early applications leave time to plan if the answer is no.

Can I Switch Medicare Advantage Plans Right Now? The Honest Answer

Here's the part most people find frustrating, and we'd rather tell you straight: we are not currently in a Medicare enrollment period, and a hospital leaving your plan's network does not automatically give you the right to switch plans mid-year.

That said, some people do qualify for a mid-year change through a Special Enrollment Period. The two most common paths we're seeing for Preferred Care Network members:

• If you have Medicare and full Medicaid (or certain levels of Extra Help), you may have additional enrollment flexibility during the year, depending on your Medicaid level. This is case-by-case — we can check yours in a few minutes.
• If you have a qualifying chronic condition — such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease — you may be able to enroll in a Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan (C-SNP) designed for that condition, if you're not already in one for the same condition. Aetna and other carriers offer C-SNP plans in South Florida that include UHealth in their networks.

Everyone else's next opportunity is the Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7, with the new plan taking effect January 1, 2027.

Key takeaway: Whether you qualify to switch before AEP depends on your specific situation — Medicaid status, health conditions, and other factors. A licensed agent can check your eligibility at no cost, and no, you should never drop coverage first and figure it out after.

The Timing Gap Nobody Is Explaining: September 1 to January 1

If you don't qualify for a mid-year switch, there's a four-month window — September through December — where UHealth would be out of network for your plan. During that window, your realistic options are:

• Continuity of care, if you're approved (see above)
• Temporarily seeing in-network providers for routine needs, then reassessing your plan during AEP
• Paying out-of-network costs at UHealth — possible under some plan rules, but often expensive; confirm your plan's out-of-network benefits before assuming this works
• Emergency care at UHealth remains covered regardless — network rules never apply to true emergencies

Planning for this gap now — rather than discovering it on September 2 — is most of what our recent consultations have been about.

Not sure which of these applies to you? Contact us or call (954) 281-5622 — checking your options costs nothing.

Which Plans Include UHealth — and the Baptist Health Detail Worth Knowing

Our first article has the full table of Medicare Advantage plans that include UHealth, built from UHealth's own published list — including which plans cover UHealth specialists but not UM primary care doctors. A few notes from the inquiries we're getting:

• Aetna Medicare Advantage is drawing the most interest, and for a practical reason: based on our current plan research, many Aetna Medicare Advantage plans in South Florida include both UHealth and Baptist Health — two systems a lot of our clients want to keep. Aetna also offers a C-SNP option locally. As always, confirm your specific doctors and plan before enrolling.
• In Broward and Palm Beach, Freedom Health and Optimum HealthCare are worth checking against your doctor list; Prominence Health is an option in Palm Beach.
• Whatever you consider: check every doctor you see against the plan's directory, not just the hospital. That's the step people skip, and it's where mid-January surprises come from.

Naming a plan here is not an endorsement or a recommendation — network participation changes, and the right plan depends on your doctors, medications, and budget. Always confirm directly with the plan.

The Bascom Palmer Question: Switch Plans or Switch Eye Doctors?

Several callers have asked a version of: "Should I just find another ophthalmologist?" That's a personal decision, and we won't pretend otherwise. But here's a fair way to think it through:

• How specialized is your eye care? Routine exams and glasses are widely available. Complex retina, glaucoma, or cornea care is a different conversation — Bascom Palmer is, per UHealth, ranked #1 in the nation for eye care, and specialist relationships built over years have real value.
• What's your timeline? If your next appointment is after January 1, an AEP plan change may solve this without changing doctors at all.
• What does the rest of your care look like? Don't redesign your whole coverage around one doctor — but don't dismiss what that doctor means to you either. The right answer weighs everything: your physicians, your medications, your budget, your health.

Is This the Moment to Consider a Medicare Supplement Instead?

Here's a bigger-picture question this dispute has many of our clients asking: should I be on Medicare Advantage at all?

Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans work alongside Original Medicare — and Original Medicare has no provider networks. Any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare, including UHealth, can treat you. Network disputes like this one generally stop being your problem.

The honest tradeoffs:

• Higher monthly premiums than most Medicare Advantage plans, in exchange for predictable costs and no networks
• A separate Part D prescription drug plan is needed — if you switch during AEP, we recommend timing both your Medigap plan and drug plan to take effect January 1 together
• Acceptance may involve medical underwriting. Switching from Medicare Advantage to Medigap outside your protected enrollment windows usually means the insurer can review your health history in Florida. Depending on your situation, approval is not guaranteed — one more reason to plan this move carefully rather than rush it.

Our guides on Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare Supplement in Florida and Plan G vs. Plan N cover the details. With AEP starting October 15, now is exactly the right time to assess this calmly — not in a panic, with a full comparison of your options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch Medicare Advantage plans right now because UHealth is leaving my network?

Not automatically. A provider leaving your plan's network does not by itself create a Special Enrollment Period. Some people qualify to switch mid-year through other paths — full Medicaid, Extra Help, or a qualifying chronic condition (C-SNP) — and everyone can make changes during the Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 – December 7, effective January 1.

I'm receiving cancer treatment at Sylvester. Will I have to stop seeing my doctors on September 1?

Not necessarily. Patients in active treatment for a serious or complex condition may be approved for continuity of care, which continues in-network benefits with UHealth for a limited period. Call the number on your UnitedHealthcare UCard and apply early — approval is case by case.

What happens if I do nothing before September 1?

Your Preferred Care Network plan continues — you keep your coverage and the rest of the plan's network. UHealth facilities and doctors would simply be out of network, meaning higher costs or no coverage for non-emergency UHealth care, depending on your plan's rules. Emergency care at UHealth is always covered.

Does a Medicare Supplement plan really avoid this problem?

Generally, yes. Medigap plans work with Original Medicare, which has no networks — any provider that accepts Medicare, including UHealth, can treat you. The tradeoffs are higher premiums, a separate drug plan, and possible medical underwriting when switching from Medicare Advantage in Florida.

Which Medicare Advantage plans still include UHealth?

Per UHealth's published list (July 2026): Aetna, Humana, Solis Health Plans, Optimum HealthCare, Freedom Health, and Prominence Health include UHealth in at least some South Florida counties — with important differences in UM primary care access. See our first article for the full table, and always confirm your specific doctors with the plan.

Could UHealth and UnitedHealthcare still reach a deal?

Yes. UnitedHealthcare has said it will notify members if an agreement extends network access beyond September 1, and negotiations sometimes resolve close to — or even after — deadlines. We are monitoring this closely and will update both articles the moment there is news.

Talk Through Your Options — Free, No Pressure

Every situation in this article — continuity of care, mid-year eligibility, plan comparisons, the Medigap question — comes down to your specific doctors, medications, and circumstances. That's a 20-minute conversation, not a guessing game. Call A&E Insurance Agency at (954) 281-5622 or schedule your free consultation. We're local, independent, and we've guided South Florida families through decisions exactly like this one.

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 16 organizations which offer 73 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

A&E Insurance Agency is an independent insurance agency. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of UHealth, the University of Miami, UnitedHealthcare, or any health system or carrier named above. Plan availability, premiums, benefits, networks, and provider participation can change at any time; confirm details directly with your health plan and providers. Eligibility for any enrollment period is determined case by case. This article is for educational purposes only and does not replace advice from a licensed insurance professional, healthcare provider, or attorney.