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Cost management

As health care costs are expected to continue to rise — and employers and their employees face increasing economic challenges — developing strategies that help better manage your health care costs may be more important than ever.¹ UnitedHealthcare is committed to working with you to implement cost management strategies that meet the moment.

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UnitedHealthcare beats competition by ~10% with its total cost of care approach

Without considering the total cost of care savings a carrier can provide, you may not have the full financial picture. In fact, taking a holistic approach may save you ~10%.² Hear why UnitedHealthcare is engaging third-party firms to validate its cost-savings methodologies, relative to the market. Dive deeper into the results of these studies.

Independent studies are enabling more transparent and accurate cost analyses

Video transcript

Upbeat music plays as a man in a suit laughs.

Onscreen text: Joe Clark

SVP, Broker & Consulting Relations, UnitedHealthcare

SPEAKER: The first question out of every consultant and every employer is mouth is prove your total cost of care to me. I hear what you're saying, but we need proof.

Onscreen text: Getting real about total cost of care

The blue ribbons of the UnitedHealthcare logo swoop across a white background.

SPEAKER: What we've done at UnitedHealthcare has gone to third party firms to validate our savings and validate our incremental savings over our competitors.

Onscreen text: 10% average lower total cost of care than other carriers*

*Wakely Consulting Group: By looking at risk-adjusted allowed claims per member per month (PMPM) in this first quarter 2022 study, Wakely was able to perform a holistic comparison of UnitedHealthcare's ability to drive cost savings for members and determined it outperformed the market by approximately 10% -- even though UnitedHealthcare is not the leader in discounts in many of these markets. Site of care redirection, inpatient management and preventive care utilization are key savings drivers.

SPEAKER: So we are looking to provide the tools and the data points and the proof points to consultants and brokers that we do drive total cost of care savings.

In an animation, a hand clicks a mouse, and a graph appears on a computer screen.

Onscreen text: Total cost of care savings

SPEAKER: When employers look at total cost of care and they're just focused on a discount or unit cost calculation. They're only really seeing 50% of the difference between UnitedHealthcare and its competitors.

A pie graph appears.

Onscreen text: Unit costs

Checkmarks appear beside a list.

Onscreen text: Clinical programs

Payment integrity

Site of care redirection

Utilization management

SPEAKER: What a traditional discount calculation Mrs. out on is clinical programs, payment integrity, site of care, redirection, utilization management, a whole suite of other programs that UnitedHealthcare and others offer that add up to more than 50% of the total cost of care pie.

Onscreen text: A more complete financial picture builds trust with employers

SPEAKER: So if I think about self-funded employers, they need the confidence that if they're choosing UnitedHealthcare to be their carrier, that UnitedHealthcare will be a great Steward of their dollars and will drive total cost savings more than anywhere else they could choose. One of the strategies we've been incorporating lately into our self-funded business is offering total cost of care guarantees on top of our typical financial offer.

Onscreen text: Total cost of care guarantees on top of our typical financial offer

SPEAKER: And really what that looks like is we will commit to an employer and to a consultant that we will achieve a certain amount of trend and a certain amount of total cost, and we will put our money behind it.

Onscreen text: Third-party validation + guarantees

Icons depict a building and a speech bubble. They come together to form a chart.

Onscreen text: Employers

Onscreen text: Consultants & Brokers

Onscreen text: Total cost beyond discounts

Onscreen text: Total cost of care savings

SPEAKER: Third party validation and guarantees when they're paired together can really give the confidence to employers and to consultants of the story that we are telling, which is we manage total cost beyond discounts and we drive total cost of care savings. I am incredibly proud of the work UnitedHealthcare does to drive total cost of care savings and protect the dollars of members and employers.

Joe smiles.

Onscreen text: Cost management that meets the moment

Onscreen text: Talk to your broker, consultant or UnitedHealthcare representative to learn more

The UnitedHealthcare logo appears over a white background.

Onscreen text: UnitedHealthcare

Onscreen text: Wakely Consulting Group: By looking at risk-adjusted allowed claims per member per month (PMPM) in this first quarter 2022 study, Wakely was able to perform a holistic comparison of UnitedHealthcare's ability to drive cost savings for members and determined it outperformed the market by approximately 10% -- even though UnitedHealthcare is not the leader in discounts in many of these markets. Site of care redirection, inpatient management and preventive care utilization are key savings drivers.

Insurance coverage provided by or through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or its affiliates. Administrative services provided by United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates.

© 2023 United HealthCare Services, Inc. All rights reserved. 22-1861751 B2B EI22209550

Designing networks and plans that work to control costs

UnitedHealthcare designs networks and plans that can help strike the balance between costs and quality coverage and care.

Network configurations that prioritize quality care at lower costs

More employers are considering networks that promote quality, cost-effective care while still offering their employees a range of provider and health system choices.

Learn why tiered networks are finding traction

Health plans that offer a balance among savings, predictability and risk

Designed to offer the potential savings of self-funded plans and the predictability of fully insured plans, level-funded health plans continue to gain momentum.

Read more about level funding

Implementing clinical solutions that help drive better outcomes and lower costs

UnitedHealthcare focuses on providing a guided, connected approach to care that works to manage costs across the care continuum. Learn more about our care management and clinical programs.

Supporting employees to make more informed health decisions

Aimed at supporting an individual’s overall well-being, UnitedHealthcare offers wellness programs and services that work to improve member health and lower costs. Explore our wellness programs and services.

Providing cost support for out-of-network expenses

Available at no extra cost to employees, Naviguard can help employees resolve unexpected, out-of-network medical expenses. To get started, employees can call the number on the back of their UnitedHealthcare ID card or visit naviguard.com for more information.

Stay in the know

Controlling costs in a challenging economic environment demands a cost management strategy that meets the moment. Explore how UnitedHealthcare is bringing together network and plan design, employee engagement and clinical and care management strategies to help drive better health outcomes, a simpler experience and lower costs over the long term.

Get more on cost management

Footnotes

U.S. employers double down on controlling healthcare costs, enhancing affordability. Willis Towers Watson - WTW
Wakely Consulting Group: By looking at risk-adjusted allowed claims per member per month (PMPM) in this first quarter 2022 study, Wakely was able to perform a holistic comparison of UnitedHealthcare’s ability to drive cost savings for members and determined it outperformed the market by approximately 10% — even though UnitedHealthcare is not the leader in discounts in many of these markets. Site of care redirection, inpatient management and preventive care utilization are key savings drivers.

Disclaimer

NOT FOR CONSUMER USE.

Insurance coverage provided by or through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or its affiliates.

Administrative services provided by United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates.

Administrative services provided by United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates, and UnitedHealthcare Service LLC in NY. Stop-loss insurance is underwritten by UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or their affiliates, including UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance Company in NJ, and UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of New York in NY.