DAYTON — Premier Health and UnitedHealthcare have announced they have formed a new, multi-year relationship to ensure southwest Ohio residents enrolled in UnitedHealthcare commercial and Medicare Advantage health plans have in-network access to all Premier Health’s facilities and physicians.

This agreement ensures access to Premier Health’s physicians and facilities for Medicare Advantage plans and restores access for commercial plans effective Jan. 1, 2018.

This renewed relationship gives nearly 200,000 UnitedHealthcare plan participants access to physicians in the Premier Physician Network, along with Premier Health’s hospitals and other sites of service in the Dayton region.

“We are very happy to have found common ground and a way that Premier Health and UnitedHealthcare can work collaboratively to extend quality, patient-centered care in our communities,” said Mary Boosalis, president and CEO, Premier Health. “We look forward to working with UnitedHealthcare to continue serving our community and having a positive impact for its members who live and work in our service area.”

“Our priority is ensuring the people we serve have access to quality, cost effective health care,” said Kurt Lewis, CEO of UnitedHealthcare of Ohio. “Premier Health is an important community provider and partner, and we are pleased to renew our relationship on behalf of the tens of thousands of people we serve across southwest Ohio.”