UnitedHealth Group is making healthcare work better across the system

Care should be easier to get when and where people need it. UnitedHealth Group is changing its business to reduce administrative barriers, support care providers, bring care closer to home and help more people connect to the services and support they need.
doctor in coat

Making changes that make care easier to navigate

doctor in coat

For too many people, getting care still depends on navigating barriers: finding a provider, waiting for approvals, traveling long distances, managing pregnancy without enough support, getting preventive care when mobility or transportation is difficult, or staying on medications when pharmacy processes are complicated. These barriers can delay care, add stress for patients and providers and make health outcomes worse. We are addressing the parts of the system we can change to make care easier to reach, easier to continue and easier for providers to deliver.

Bringing care to more people

50%
faster payments for approximately 1,500 rural hospitals.

Supporting rural hospitals and care providers

UnitedHealthcare is helping improve financial stability and reduce administrative burden by accelerating payments to rural hospitals, including all Critical Access Hospitals, and exempting rural providers from most medical prior authorization requirements across all lines of business.

575,000
visits completed in low-income communities in 2024.
 

Bringing preventive care into the home

HouseCalls offers eligible UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members an annual in-home or virtual preventive care visit that supports better care, stronger connections and improved outcomes. 

4.7M
people served in value-based care models.

Advancing value-based care

UnitedHealth Group has more than doubled participation in these models over the past three years, helping make high-quality care more accessible, coordinated and focused on better outcomes.

How we’re expanding access to care

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Simplifying access to medications

Optum Rx has eliminated 33% of drug reauthorizations for nearly 270 chronic-condition medications and is moving toward passing through 100% of manufacturer drug rebate discounts to clients by Jan. 1, 2028

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Reducing approval requirements for children’s care

By the end of 2026, UnitedHealthcare plans to remove nearly two-thirds of prior authorization requirements for members under age 18.

A senior patient of African decent, sits up on an exam table across from her female doctor as they discuss her medical concerns.  She is dressed casually and listening attentively as the doctor talks with her.  Her female doctor is wearing a white lab coat and has a tablet in her hands as she takes notes throughout.

Making approvals faster and more consistent

More than half of UnitedHealthcare’s prior authorization volume will be included in standardized electronic submission requirements, with that figure expected to exceed 70% by the end of 2026.

Explore more ways we’re building better health

Building healthier communities

Learn how local partnerships and targeted investments are helping communities address their most pressing health needs.

Making healthcare easier through innovation

Explore how responsible technology and AI are helping people find answers, navigate benefits and receive more connected care.