UnitedHealth Group is honored to have been asked to assist the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in distributing, as directed by the Department, an initial $30 billion in emergency funding to health care providers seeking assistance under the CARES Act. This effort is vital to maintaining the health and readiness of the U.S. health care system, and we’re pleased to have the opportunity to support it.
In addition to this initiative, we continue to use the full capabilities of UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare and Optum to assist our nation’s COVID-19 response at the local, state and national levels, including:
Waiving cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing and treatment for US members.
- Accelerating payments to providers through the crisis, with an initial tranche of nearly $2 billion.
- Initially investing more than $60 million to help communities in need and protect the health care workforce.
- Significantly expanding access to telehealth and Virtual Visits and redeploying 5,000 Optum clinicians to expand telehealth capabilities.
- Converting company cafeterias to provide more than 75,000 meals a week for people in need and keeping our café team at work.
- Pioneering a non-invasive, self-administered COVID-19 test that streamlines testing, reduces PPE usage and increases safety of health care workers.
- Simplifying access to care by reducing prior authorization requirements
- Providing a special enrollment period for fully-insured customers to allow employees who did not opt in for coverage during the regular enrollment period to get coverage
- Launching a free nationwide emotional support line to manage the stress and anxiety caused by COVID-19.
- Conducting proactive personal outreach to support the most vulnerable populations and seniors
Currently UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare and Optum have an existing business relationship with more than 80% of all U.S. care providers and hospitals. No UnitedHealth Group entities will request or accept any CARES funding and all fees paid for the administration of the CARES fund will be donated.