COLUMBUS — UnitedHealthcare and Knox Community Hospital have reached an agreement in which Knox Community Hospital has rejoined UnitedHealthcare’s provider network of hospitals serving central Ohio.

Effective Aug. 1, the new, long-term agreement will provide UnitedHealthcare commercial health plan customers with in-network access to facility-based health care services in Knox County. The agreement covers inpatient and outpatient health services, hospital-owned physician practices and services provided through Knox Diagnostic Imaging Center LLC.

“UnitedHealthcare and Knox Community Hospital are committed to providing local residents with access to affordable, quality health care,” said Rob Falkenberg, chief executive officer of UnitedHealthcare of Ohio. “By including the hospital, physicians and diagnostic imaging clinic under this agreement, our two organizations are able to offer the local community a full range of quality services and in-network affordability.”

“We are pleased to be an in-network provider for UnitedHealthcare,” said Bruce White, chief executive officer for KCH. “We want to thank UnitedHealthcare and particularly all of the UnitedHealthcare customers who live and work in the community for supporting Knox Community Hospital. Being able to provide the residents of Knox County and surrounding areas with in-network access to cost-effective, quality health care service is very important to us.”