On August 25, tens of thousands of families across Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia could lose in-network access to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The reason? A bitter contract dispute between UnitedHealthcare (UHC) and Johns Hopkins Health System (JHUHS) has left patients caught in the crossfire. If no agreement is reached, approximately 60,000 patients will suddenly find themselves out-of-network for care at Johns Hopkins hospitals and with Hopkins physicians. That means higher costs, disrupted treatment, and in some cases, patients being forced to abandon trusted doctors in the middle of critical care.  


Negotiations between UHC and JHU have dragged on for more than seven months with multiple extensions. Johns Hopkins argues that UHC’s practices, including excessive prior authorization requirements, frequent claim denials, delayed payments, and heavy administrative burdens,  harm patients and prevent timely care. UHC counters that Johns Hopkins is demanding contract terms that would give Hopkins the power to pick and choose which employers’ insurance plans they accept. Both sides insist they are “fighting for patients,” but the real losers are the patients themselves. For patients, this fight isn’t about corporate negotiations, it’s about health and peace of mind. “I do feel like they are using us as leverage in contract negotiations and leaving patients up in the air,” one Maryland mother told WBAL-TV.


The impact is especially dire for:

• Cancer patients mid-treatment
• Pregnant women approaching delivery
• Children with complex conditions
• Patients with chronic illnesses who rely on continuity of care  

Patients Shouldn’t Be Bargaining Chips


This isn’t just a DMV problem. Across the country, hospitals and insurers increasingly use patients as leverage in contract disputes. Every time, families are left paying the price. If this can happen at Johns Hopkins, one of the world’s most respected medical institutions, it can happen anywhere.

What We Demand

• Keep Patients Covered: UnitedHealthcare must extend in-network access to Johns Hopkins beyond August 25 while negotiations continue. Patients should not lose care because of corporate gridlock.
• Reach a Fair Agreement Now: UHC and Johns Hopkins must finalize a contract that prioritizes affordable, high-quality care over profit and bureaucracy.
• Protect Families Mid-Treatment: Cancer patients, pregnant mothers, and those with chronic conditions must be guaranteed continuity of care at in-network rates, no exceptions, no delays.
• Lawmakers, Step In: We call on leaders in Maryland, DC, and Virginia to pass stronger protections so no insurer can drop an entire health system mid-year and leave patients stranded.

We need national attention on this crisis. Patients should never be used as pawns in corporate disputes. 

👉 Sign this petition and share it widely. Tell UnitedHealthcare and Johns Hopkins: Put patients first. Healthcare is not a bargaining chip.