The City of Shreveport provides health care coverage through a contract with United Healthcare Services. Many City employees and retired employees have recently received letters from United, advising them that some of their physicians will no longer be a part of United’s health care network as of September 1, 2007.

Mayor Cedric B. Glover is asking City employees and retirees to not be alarmed by these letters. United Healthcare and the Willis-Knighton Health System’s physicians are currently negotiating a new agreement which would continue to allow these providers to be a part of United’s local health care network. It is common for this kind of negotiation to go down to the last minute, but the City has been informed that United expects a resolution of the matter before the September 1, 2007 deadline.

Mayor Glover says “both parties need each other – United needs the services of the Willis-Knighton providers to serve the local community and WKHS needs United Healthcare to bring thousands of patients to its facilities. For that reason, I believe that they will be able to work out an agreement which satisfies both parties and protects the persons insured through the City.”

United Healthcare has been the City’s health insurance provider since 2002. Currently the City of Shreveport has more than 1,700 active employees and nearly 1,000 retirees enrolled in the United plan.

There is not a time table for contract renewal. It depends on the Healthcare Board’s satisfaction with price and service. In the fall of 2005, the City rather than a broker or consultant, issued a RFP which was effective for service beginning 1/11/06 ending 12/31/10.