United Healthcare Provider Agreement

Participants of United Healthcare's insurance plans are required to review, sign and adhere to United Healthcare's provider agreement. A provider agreement outlines the terms and conditions of the health plan and acts as a contract between the insurer and the insured.

Terms and Conditions

• A provider agreement holds both parties accountable for adhering to their part of the terms and conditions of the agreement. Provider agreements protect the insurer and the insured from being victims of contractual violations.

HIPAA

• Under the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA), health insurance companies, such as United Healthcare, are considered "covered entities," which makes them legally obligated to comply with confidentiality standards set forth by HIPAA. The United Healthcare provider agreement outlines the health plan's stance on protecting the confidentiality of its participants.

Coverage

• The United Healthcare provider agreement specifies the term that the health plan is effective for, as well as when the coverage term expires. The agreement's effective and termination dates are written into the provider agreement. Processes for early termination before the noted end date are also outlined in the provider agreement.