A message to the people we serve from Bryan Palmer, CEO, UnitedHealthcare of Florida

As someone who proudly calls Florida home, I understand the deep trust our communities and people place in our health systems throughout the state. We want people to have reliable access to quality care while also helping ensure that it is affordable.

Today, many Florida families and employers are struggling with rising healthcare costs. One of the leading causes of this is the prices charged by hospitals. That's why we're working hard to reach a new agreement with AdventHealth that protects access to care while addressing the rising costs that are making healthcare less affordable for the people and businesses we serve.

The cost of care at AdventHealth is 30% higher than the average cost of all other Florida health systems, and approximately 25% above the average costs in the Orlando region. To put this into perspective, healthcare costs would have been reduced by nearly $550 million since 2023 had AdventHealth been reimbursed at the market averages of other systems in our commercial network in Orlando and Tampa Bay.

Our goal is to reach a fair agreement that continues to provide access to AdventHealth while slowing the unsustainable growth in healthcare costs. Doing nothing would mean that families and employers would pay over $350 million more in increased costs at AdventHealth over the next five years.

Approximately 85% of UnitedHealthcare employers in Florida self-fund their health plans, meaning the employer pays the cost of care while we administer benefits on their behalf. When provider costs rise, these employers bear the financial risk, often limiting their ability to raise wages, invest in growth or support their workforce. Many are forced to pass higher costs on to their employees through increased deductibles, out-of-pocket expenses and contributions.

Small businesses that are fully insured face similarly difficult choices: Do they raise premiums, increase copays and deductibles, or discontinue health benefits altogether?

We know this is personal. Everyone deserves access to quality care they can afford. No one should have to choose between getting the care they need and meeting other financial obligations, such as housing, groceries or utilities.

We care deeply about the communities throughout Florida. We will remain at the negotiating table as long as it takes to reach a fair agreement for Floridians. We hope AdventHealth will do the same. Quality care can and should be affordable—and the people and employers we serve deserve both.

Bryan Palmer

CEO, UnitedHealthcare of Florida