What is UnitedHealthcare?

UnitedHealth Group was originally established by physicians and other healthcare professionals under the name Charter Med Corporation in 1974. Since 1984, UnitedHealthcare has become a publicly traded company, becoming the leading US insurer with nearly 157 million Americans covered. UnitedHealthcare offers products and services such as personal support, helpful digital tools and access to large networks of doctors, clinics and hospitals as well as short term medical plans such as Medicare Advantage plans as well as employer sponsored group coverage for groups or individuals.

UnitedHealthcare operates two distinct business platforms, UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual and UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement. Both of these entities aim to simplify health care experience for consumers while meeting health and wellness needs and creating strong, trustworthy relationships between care providers and people they care for. In addition, UnitedHealthcare also provides global customers with health benefits through other lines such as UnitedHealthcare Community & State and Global.

Reaching universal health coverage (UHC) was set as an international goal under the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. Unfortunately, recent progress towards UHC has been slow and the number of people experiencing financial strain due to catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses has steadily risen since 2000.

Even with current challenges, the UN recognizes that health is an integral component of sustainability, and improving outcomes is a necessary condition for sustainable development. Their Thirteenth General Programme of Work seeks to reach 1 billion more people with Universal Healthcare Coverage by 2025.

Lewin Group, a policy research and consulting firm, reports that some 870 million Americans lack basic health insurance coverage. While this number has decreased considerably over four years, improvements still need to be made such as making primary healthcare more accessible, increasing coverage for preventive and chronic services and decreasing avoidable conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

The business model of our company is founded upon a special collaboration among employees, patients and local communities that emphasizes collaboration, transparency and accountability. UnitedHealthcare is committed to creating a rewarding work environment for its employees, earning multiple nominations as one of the Best Places to Work in America. Furthermore, UnitedHealthcare invests in community programs designed to benefit both its members and wider society. The UnitedHealthcare Foundation awards grants to non-profit organizations working on local health and wellness issues. Additionally, UnitedHealthcare participates in research and education through its Centers of Excellence program. As part of its partnership with the University of Minnesota to support healthcare education in Twin Cities areas, its headquarters are in Minnetonka, Minnesota; additionally, The Wall Street Journal reported in February 2024 that an antitrust investigation by Justice is currently underway against them.