UnitedHealth Group cuts employee health care costs, reduces barriers, and delivers simplicity.
The Challenge
High deductibles were causing financial hardship for many employees. They were often deferring care due to the cost before meeting their deductible and overusing emergency rooms. Employees wanted predictable, easier-to-use, and more affordable care offerings, which could save money for employees and the company.
The Solution
UnitedHealth Group offered the Surest health plan, which eliminated deductibles and provided actual costs listed up front on the easy-to-use app or website. With lower prices indicating providers evaluated as high-value based on quality, efficiency, and overall effectiveness of care, employees could choose care to fit their needs and budget. The transparency and increased care options could drive efficient alternative care choices that could reduce costs for members and the employer. The Surest plan offered a national provider network giving employees broad access to care in the palm of their hands.
Employee Impact
Increased preventive screenings
- 81% of members spent less than $500 out-of-pocket
- 89.8% retention rate 2023 to 2024
- 88% of households interacted with Surest via the app or Surest Member Services
- 92% of care encounters had a digital search prior to the encounter
- Registered households averaged 13 sessions in a year or 1.1 sessions per month
- 78% of members with elevated clinical needs engaged with the Surest Clinical Advocacy team
- 73% higher virtual visits than the non-UnitedHealth Group Surest norm
Employer Impact
Saved money and reduced overuse of ER
- 25% higher primary care physician utilization
- 27% lower urgent care use
- 13% lower hospital admissions
- 17% lower surgery costs
- 38% decrease in hip and knee surgeries
- 27% decrease in shoulder surgeries2
“With Surest I can afford to go to the doctor or get testing done. With high deductible plans, I couldn’t afford it easily.”
- Surest member
See more client and member success stories.
1Utilization and cost relative to a commercial benchmark adjusted for age, gender, geography, and disease burden.
2Comparison of Surest migrators with 12 months enrollment in a UHC plan in 2021, and 12 months of enrollment in Surest in 2022 to a matched control group that was selected from a population of UHC members who were enrolled for 24 months in 2021 and 2022.