UnitedHealth's contract with Williamson Medical Center expires in April of next year, but the insurer recently told hospital officials it wants to renegotiate terms well before that. A United spokeswoman said the move is all about planning ahead, but Josh Adams reports that Williamson Medical's leaders say the tone of the insurer's actions has been rather more urgent.

According to an in-house newsletter generated by Williamson Medical, UnitedHealthcare recently put the hospital on notice that it intends to terminate their existing contract. That word came down after the insurance company allegedly gave the hospital “roughly 24 hours” to consider an ultimatum: renegotiate the contract or see it spiked.