HEALTH AND WELLNESS
them, managed care - and Medicare Advantage in particular - has that flexibility.
Making meaningful connections
to meet social needs
Turning data into action is where UnitedHealthcare has made great strides over the past few years. In 2022 alone, the company screened 4.7 million Medicare Advantage enrollees for social needs using an approach that included health risk assessments; phone calls; in-person visits; and analysis of surveys, claims and administrative data. Of those screened, UnitedHealthcare identified 2 million enrollees with unmet social needs that could be impacting their health.[3]
But identifying these needs was just the first step. Using individualized outreach tactics-dictated by members' noted preferences-UnitedHealthcare contacted 1 million people who said they wanted help, and from there made 2.3 million social-needs referrals to various national and regional social services programs.
Ultimately, UnitedHealthcare verified that 853,000 Medicare Advantage enrollees were connected to services and supports that addressed a social need. And the result wasn't just a step toward better health, but also meaningful cost savings for these individuals. In 2023, the company is expanding its outreach efforts and expects to screen more than 5.5 million members-driving even more connections to important support services for those in need.
"We're taking those extra steps by telling members these programs exist, as well as contacting, coordinating and
""I love having the opportunity to help our members; ...."
advocating," Billioux says. "People who have had long exposure to the health system might think that no one is paying attention to these social drivers. So we're working hard to try and change that, because we really are here to help."
Added John, "I love having the opportunity to help our members; I want to be that person." To learn more about how UnitedHealthcare's holistic medical and social support model is identifying and addressing the needs of millions of people each year, access the research brief on UnitedHealthGroup.com.
[1] "Risk Factors Associated with Food Insecurity..." NCBI.gov.
[2] "Older Adults Again Experience Increase in Poverty", ncoa.org.
[3] https://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/content/dam/UHG/PDF/2023/2023-MA-Social-Determinants-Brief.pdf