Expanding UHG’s investment strategy to advance health equity

UnitedHealth Group leaders announced a $5 million investment in Enable Ventures, a market-rate impact venture fund with a mission to close the disability wealth gap. Courtney Mattson, vice president and assistant treasurer of UnitedHealth Group Treasury, and Catherine Anderson, senior vice president of UnitedHealth Group Health Equity, made the announcement at the SOCAP Conference.

Details: The $5 million investment will fund companies whose solutions will improve the lives of people with disabilities, provide resources to entrepreneurs with disabilities, and help people with disabilities who are unemployed and underemployed. Enable Funds focuses on providing technology and tools to upskill and reskill people with disabilities so they can enter the workforce.

The bottom line: Research shows that people with disabilities who are employed experience better health. 

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By the numbers: UnitedHealth Group is expanding its investment strategy to include social impact investing in areas such as health care, education & training, underserved communities and the environment. It plans to make investments that align with each of its health equity strategic priorities. It has made a number of social impact investments in these areas already.

The big picture: The Enable Ventures investment aligns with UnitedHealth Group’s broader commitment to programs and supports for the disability community as an employer, for members and in philanthropic partnerships:

• UnitedHealth Group has been named a best place to work for disability inclusion for the past four years by the Disability Equality Index.
• As an employer, disability inclusion is central to who we are as a company, as we continuously strive to improve health care accessibility, foster an inclusive culture for all types of disabilities and offer sustainable careers at all levels. Our Disability Inclusion employee resource group connects employees from across the enterprise who have disabilities or care for those who do.
• United Healthcare’s Special Needs Initiative helps families who are on a diagnostic odyssey get connected with a team of specialists to arrive at a more holistic diagnosis and treatment plan.
• The United Health Foundation produces America’s Health Rankings, a public health report platform that provides a snapshot of the health and wellness of all populations. The reports are focused on sparking dialogue and raising awareness for the nation’s most pressing health challenges. The recent Mental and Behavioral Health data brief, for example, documented the significant mental and behavioral health disparities that exist for adults and youth with disabilities compared to their peers without disabilities.
• UnitedHealth Group is the presenting sponsor of the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.