UnitedHealthcare to eliminate out-of-pocket costs on certain prescription drugs, including insulin, for eligible fully insured members

UnitedHealthcare will eliminate out-of-pocket costs in standard fully insured group plans for certain preferred prescription drugs, including short- and long-acting insulin and several drugs used to treat emergencies such as severe allergic reactions, hypoglycemia, opioid overdoses and acute asthma attacks. This new standard offering will be available to group fully insured plans potentially as early as Jan.1, 2023, subject to any required regulatory approval.  

Eliminating out-of-pocket expenses for these critical medications can help reduce the burden of medical costs on consumers and encourage better medication adherence, reducing the risk of complications and expensive hospitalizations. 

These actions are part of UnitedHealth Group’s ongoing efforts to ensure people get the drugs they need and to make health care more affordable. Offering these preferred drugs at $0 cost share builds on past moves by both UnitedHealthcare and OptumRx, including point-of-sale discounts that have delivered millions of dollars of savings directly to consumers at the pharmacy counter.

“High prices are a significant barrier to prescription drugs for many people, so we are using our unique capabilities to deliver savings for consumers,” said Brian Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealthcare. “We are doing what we can to shield people from the prices set by pharmaceutical companies and hope all stakeholders also will act to make prescription drugs more affordable.” 

In addition to insulin, four preferred emergency use medications will be included in the new standard offering and will also have a $0 cost share: 

• Epinephrine – severe allergic reactions
• Glucagon – hypoglycemia
• Naloxone – opioid overdoses
• Albuterol – acute asthma attacks

For questions, please contact your broker or UnitedHealthcare representative.