Supporting Elaine through a heart transplant and recovery

Video transcript

[Piano music playing in the background throughout the video]

[Elaine in her kitchen, rinsing vegetables in the sink]

ELAINE: I was born with a heart condition and had to have a heart transplant.

[Elaine sitting in front of a white screen, speaking to the camera]

[On-screen Text – Elaine, UnitedHealthcare Member *Paid Endorsement]

It can be scary, it can be very overwhelming, but UnitedHealthcare was there for me 100%.

[Elaine in her kitchen, cutting vegetables]

When I was growing up, I did not know I had it. I had episodes where I was passing out occasionally. It was very, very challenging. And when I had my son at 26, he was diagnosed with HCM, and that's when I found out I was also positive. In the past, I've had insurance companies and they were difficult to deal with.

[Elaine at her kitchen table with a child, arranging flowers together]

It was a consistent argument calling the insurance company trying to get things covered and I have never had that with UnitedHealthcare. They helped me through every piece of it. They explained all the billing process to me. It makes you feel more at ease knowing exactly how the plan works. They were truly there for me. I love UnitedHealthcare.

[On-screen Text – UHC, uhc.com *These member story videos showcase authentic experiences. Their sole purpose is to inspire and they do not offer medical advice or endorse any specific healthcare approach. Since everyone’s health is unique, it is crucial to consult with your doctor to determine the best care for you. The benefits described may not be offered on all plans or in all states. Some plans may require copayments, deductibles and/or coinsurance for these benefits. The policy has exclusions, limitations, reduction of benefits, and terms under which the policy may be continued in force or discontinued. For costs and complete details of the coverage, review the plan coverage documents or call or write your agent/broker or the company, whoever is applicable. Plan specifics and benefits vary by coverage and by plan category. Please review plan details to learn more.

When Elaine talks about her health today, she does it with gratitude. Just a few years earlier, she was fighting to breathe, living with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), heart failure and years of procedures that didn’t help improve her condition. By late 2023, her only path forward was a heart transplant — a reality that felt overwhelming, even for someone used to powering through uncertainty.

The day her cardiologist told her she was in end-stage heart failure, Elaine expected a long wait for answers. Instead, within days, she received a call she still remembers clearly. A UnitedHealthcare advocate introduced herself and said, “I’m here to help you through every part of this.”

For Elaine, that support became a lifeline. Her team coordinated appointments, explained billing, arranged travel and helped her caregiver understand what to expect. “It was very smooth,” Elaine said. “I had never experienced anything like that with insurance.”

In December 2023, she received a new heart, but recovery wasn’t simple. A damaged valve meant another surgery, more time in the hospital and hours of rebuilding her strength.

Today, Elaine walks into her home with a sense of awe at what she survived. She recently watched her daughter get married — a milestone she wasn’t sure she’d reach. “I’m a walking miracle,” she said.

With so much to manage physically and emotionally, Elaine expected financial stress on top of it. Instead, she experienced something else entirely. Her UnitedHealthcare Individual & Family ACA Marketplace plan benefits worked the way an advocate had explained. Bills were minimal after meeting her out-of-pocket costs, and support was always a phone call away. “I never felt alone,” she said.

“With UnitedHealthcare,” Elaine explained, “I knew I was taken care of. That gave me the freedom to heal.”

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