Surest health plan helps improve women’s access to care
Whether it’s juggling the medical needs of children, spouses or caring for aging parents, women tend to serve as the chief medical officer of their households — arranging and managing a majority of the health needs for their families.
As women shoulder 80% of the responsibility when it comes to health care spending decisions, at times, their own health may be put on the back burner. According to a recent survey, nearly half of American women say they skipped a preventive health care appointment, during the last year.
Certain health care plans are working to put the focus back on women’s health, by creating simpler experiences and more choices when it comes to how they receive care.
For example, the Surest® health plan through UnitedHealthcare helps provide upfront pricing with clear cost and coverage details, plus added choice and flexibility to cater to a woman’s often busy schedule.
Surest health plans begin working immediately, without a deductible to chip away at and no coinsurance to worry about paying for weeks later. This can help eliminate initial concerns with engaging in care.
Virtual care
Surest plans also include robust telemedicine and virtual care options that can help women access care from home. In fact, in 2023, female Surest members had roughly five times more1 virtual care visits than a comparison group — that’s more than two times more virtual care visits than men.
Preventive care
Women using Surest also accessed more primary and preventive care — 86% of female Surest members1 had a primary care visit in 2023, up 26% compared to other health plans. Women on the Surest plan also had:
- 15% more wellness visits
- 7% more cervical cancer screenings
- 3% more colon cancer screenings
Creating healthier experiences and staying on top of preventive care can also help control high-cost and emergency services. Compared to other health plans, women on the Surest plan had 32% fewer surgeries2 per 1,000 members plus lower emergency room and urgent care visits.
Maternity care
For women who are in the family planning stage of life, having a Surest health plan may help budget and plan for out-of-pocket costs, long before delivery. In addition, members get one bill for the entire birth experience.
Overall, women using Surest saw 47% lower out-of-pocket expenses3 compared to other options.
Mental health solutions
Some mental health issues are more common in women than men and there are also certain disorders that are unique to women, such as maternal mental health needs. In the U.S., 1 in 5 women experience some kind of mental health condition.
The Surest plan is designed to help encourage members to seek out mental health care in a way that works best for them, while aiming to improve affordability. Women using the Surest plan4:
- Typically, pay only $20 out-of-pocket per counseling office visit
- Paid less out of pocket in 2023 compared to members on a conventional health plan for treatment of depression (82% lower cost) and anxiety (88% lower cost)
Finding health care solutions that help support a woman’s needs can help support the entire family — when women are healthier, their families can thrive. With better, more convenient access to care and improved affordability, plus lower costs for employers, the Surest health plan can be a win-win.