Health advocates are raising concerns about whether Sioux City’s largest healthcare provider will continue to accept some insurance plans.
UnityPoint Health took over MercyOne in Sioux City on September 1. As part of that merger, they agreed to accept insurance plans used by MercyOne patients through the end of the year.
A Wednesday release by UnityPoint said its officials are in talks to extend their agreement through the end of March 2026.
Shannon Stewart is an insurance broker from Sioux City. He says it would be disruptive if his clients lose coverage.
“History tells us that when you don't have competition, that's not good for pricing or services because you're not competing against anyone," Stewart said.
Stewart says some of the impacted insurance plans were more affordable options found through the federal marketplace.
The health insurance plans are Ambetter Health, Centivo, Mount Carmel MediGold – Medicare Advantage, Partners Direct Health, Wellcare Medicare Advantage, and Oscar.
Pete Iversen, of Sioux City, said he has Oscar for his family health insurance, since it was the most "affordable" on the marketplace exchange.
Iversen is watching to see how these hospital and health plan negotiations pan out.
"With health insurance, you always have to be really aware of who is in network and who isn't, and you know the network just got considerably smaller when the two largest hospitals are no longer in network," he said.
