Meeting market demands with enterprise-enabled agility

UnitedHealth Group is powered by more than 400,000 people working every day to help ensure that people everywhere may access care with the goal of improving health outcomes and quality of life.

While the company has global reach, it takes a localized approach to meet the unique needs of each community and group it serves. This tailored strategy helps ensure that health care standards are advanced in every region — from urban cities to remote rural areas; for every employer group, from small family-run shops to large, geographically diverse organizations; and for every individual and family, regardless of income or circumstance.

This approach is reflected in UnitedHealth Group’s diverse portfolio of robust, market-leading health solutions. For instance, employer groups seeking pharmacy coverage can integrate their pharmacy benefits with UnitedHealthcare medical benefits for streamlined contracting, simplified benefits management and more coordinated care — potentially leading to better outcomes and cost savings. If that option isn’t the right fit for their organization or budget, Optum Rx® pharmacy services may be. The aim is to ensure employers, brokers and consultants don’t have to look far to assemble a competitive benefits package.

As a leading health care company, UnitedHealth Group is uniquely positioned to advocate on behalf of all the stakeholders and groups it serves. This includes collaboration with health systems, government entities, competitors and other health solutions companies — as well as brokers, consultants and employers — to address some of the industry’s most complex challenges and opportunities.

When a client approaches UnitedHealthcare with a challenge, sometimes the greatest value comes from an enterprise-enabled approach. UnitedHealthcare and Optum teams can deliver more strategic and tailored benefits packages aligned with the client’s specific goals.

The collaboration between UnitedHealthcare and Optum is central to this approach. Optum operates as the service provider for many UnitedHealthcare benefits and programs — from managing pharmacy benefits and coordinating behavioral health care to facilitating financing and payment of benefits. Additionally, some products and solutions are sold and serviced directly by Optum and may be the right fit for certain clients. This flexibility allows for a more agile response to the evolving needs of employers and their employees.

UnitedHealthcare provides robust health care solutions for employers, aligning services with employers’ business goals to help them manage employee benefits effectively. This approach works to support both employers’ business needs and their employees’ well-being.

By consolidating otherwise disparate solutions under one contract, UnitedHealthcare simplifies the administrative experience for employers — which may lead to greater financial savings and operational efficiency. Employees and their families also enjoy a more connected experience, with a single app or portal to access and manage their benefits.

As UnitedHealthcare continues to expand and enhance its portfolio — working across the enterprise to do so—it also sees value in helping to make it easier for employers and employees to find and purchase offerings that may extend beyond UnitedHealth Group. This is coming to life through UHC Hub®, which allows clients to select and purchase from a portfolio of selected vendors that may complement their existing UnitedHealthcare offerings. Additionally, UHC Store, available through the UnitedHealthcare® app, gives members the option to purchase discounted health and wellness offerings beyond their employer-sponsored benefits — at no extra cost to the client.

Collaborating across the company, and with others, enables UnitedHealthcare to unlock its full potential and solve clients’ needs more effectively.

With a national network of over 1.9M physicians and health care providers and 5.6K hospitals,³ UnitedHealthcare has the country’s single largest proprietary network.⁴

But it’s not just about the numbers — UnitedHealth Group is leading the transition to value-based care, which aims to deliver better health outcomes at lower costs.

In 2024, for instance, Optum Health served approximately 4.7M patients through value-based care and continues to collaborate with over 100 health plans, including UnitedHealthcare, to help deepen patient engagement and enable earlier disease diagnosis.⁵ Patients under the care of Optum physicians in value-based care models — which are covered by most UnitedHealthcare networks — were 18% less likely to have an inpatient admission and 11% less likely to visit the emergency department compared to those in traditional fee-for-service plans.⁵

UnitedHealthcare Centers of Excellence (COEs), powered by Optum, are a network of quality medical facilities and providers that have demonstrated superior performance in specialized medical areas. These centers focus on treating complex conditions, such as organ transplants, congenital heart disease, cancer and bariatric surgery.

Each facility is rigorously evaluated annually by experts to ensure it meets strict criteria for maintaining its status in the network. These models are designed to enhance patient outcomes and help manage health care costs for both employees and employers.

“It’s important to ensure — no matter where a member is in the country, the plan offering they chose or how they are accessing care, whether in-person or virtual — that they receive the best available experience to support their condition,” says Jean-François Beaulé, executive vice president of design and innovation for UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual. “UnitedHealthcare leverages a national proprietary platform using a common set of rules to integrate industry clinical standards to both augment providers’ knowledge when with their patient, as well as provide real-time information to help the member get the most out of their benefits and provide them with appropriate care recommendations."

UnitedHealth Group recognizes its role as a market leader and advocates for policies that support patients, providers and the health care industry. Understanding the significant impact it can have, the company strives to advance state and federal policies that enhance access and affordability for consumers and promote a more equitable, value-based health care system.

Collaborations with community organizations are central to UnitedHealth Group’s strategy for improving community health through targeted initiatives and programs. These collaborations are designed to address specific needs, such as chronic disease management, preventive care and health literacy. By working closely with community leaders and organizations, UnitedHealth Group can tailor its efforts to have the greatest impact, ensuring that resources are used efficiently and effectively. This grassroots approach not only strengthens the company’s presence in local communities but also underscores its dedication to making a tangible difference in people’s lives.

In addition, UnitedHealth Group’s commitment to consumer-centricity is helping to modernize health care experiences and address the pain points of working with and within the health system. To do this, UnitedHealth Group and its businesses are investing more than ever in technology to better serve those who rely on them. This synergy between consumer-centricity and technological advancement — backed by the strength and capabilities of an enterprise focused on making health care work better — has the potential to drive the transformation so many are eager to see.

At the heart of this effort is a deep sense of responsibility: to convene the right stakeholders and incite action that leads to meaningful change for the millions of people, companies and organizations it serves. It’s a responsibility UnitedHealth Group is honored to take on, feels best equipped to lead — and does not take lightly.