https://simplecast.com UnitedHealth Group Weekly Dose Podcast UnitedHealth Group's Weekly Dose podcast gets you up to speed on the latest trends shaping the future of health care. 2020 - 2022 UnitedHealth Group en Thu, 20 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000 Tue, 6 Dec 2022 15:05:12 +0000 https://weeklydose.uhg.com UnitedHealth Group Weekly Dose Podcast https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/5c350d70-9c15-4d7f-b51c-4dc837344b3f/dc941522-c4d1-4e2f-9dd5-9551a18e7d1d/3000x3000/uhg-podcast-apf-experience.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://weeklydose.uhg.com episodic UnitedHealth Group's Weekly Dose podcast gets you up to speed on the latest trends shaping the future of health care. UnitedHealth Group no https://feeds.simplecast.com/mWR1v3sh health, health trends, health care, health insurance, health technology, medicine UnitedHealth Group UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com c492c1ab-bf88-46a0-88a2-08993d03d06a A Path Forward: Transforming the Health Care Experience Technology has transformed and streamlined the way Americans access the care they need. However, for many Americans – especially those in historically underserved communities – the health system feels fragmented and disjointed.

In the final episode of our three-part podcast deep dive into A Path Forward, Dr. Carolyn Brooks, Vice President of Quality, Strategy, Innovation and Experience at UnitedHealthcare Medicare and Retirement, and Dr. Wyatt Decker, CEO of Optum Health, discuss policy solutions that can help address health disparities, advance health equity and improve the health care experience for both consumers and providers.

Click here for more information on A Path Forward. 

]]> Thu, 20 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/a-path-forward-transforming-the-health-care-experience-2aRUWJAN Technology has transformed and streamlined the way Americans access the care they need. However, for many Americans – especially those in historically underserved communities – the health system feels fragmented and disjointed.

In the final episode of our three-part podcast deep dive into A Path Forward, Dr. Carolyn Brooks, Vice President of Quality, Strategy, Innovation and Experience at UnitedHealthcare Medicare and Retirement, and Dr. Wyatt Decker, CEO of Optum Health, discuss policy solutions that can help address health disparities, advance health equity and improve the health care experience for both consumers and providers.

Click here for more information on A Path Forward. 

]]> A Path Forward: Transforming the Health Care Experience UnitedHealth Group 00:15:41 In the third episode of our three-part deep dive into A Path Forward, Dr. Carolyn Brooks, Vice President of Quality, Strategy, Innovation, and Experience at UnitedHealthcare Medicare and Retirement, and Dr. Wyatt Decker, CEO of Optum Health discuss ways to address health disparities and improve the health care experience. In the third episode of our three-part deep dive into A Path Forward, Dr. Carolyn Brooks, Vice President of Quality, Strategy, Innovation, and Experience at UnitedHealthcare Medicare and Retirement, and Dr. Wyatt Decker, CEO of Optum Health discuss ways to address health disparities and improve the health care experience. provider experience, unitedhealth group, optum, maternal health, unitedhealthcare, health equity, health disparities, patient experience no full 40 a21a7070-eb36-4bb1-a610-9c71680ef9a1 A Path Forward: Improving Health Care Affordability UnitedHealth Group is committed to a future where every person has access to high-quality, affordable health care and a modern, high-performing health system that reduces disparities, improves outcomes and lessens the burden of disease.

This is the second episode in a three-part deep dive into A Path Forward, UnitedHealth Group's policy solutions that offer a refreshed perspective for how to modernize the health system to:

  • Achieve universal coverage by building on and strengthening the current system.
  • Make health care affordable by accelerating value-based care, using high-value sites of service, reforming prescription drug pricing and eliminating wasteful spending.
  • Transform the health care experience by focusing on equity and addressing disparities, expanding and diversifying the health care workforce and empowering consumers and clinicians with actionable information.

The second episode of our three-part series features Dirk McMahon, President and Chief Operating Officer at UnitedHealth Group and Heather Cianfrocco, CEO at Optum Rx, discussing ways to make the health system more affordable for consumers, employers and governments. 

Click here for more information on A Path Forward. 

]]> Mon, 19 Sep 2022 10:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/a-path-forward-improving-health-care-affordability-DCqbSJ0S UnitedHealth Group is committed to a future where every person has access to high-quality, affordable health care and a modern, high-performing health system that reduces disparities, improves outcomes and lessens the burden of disease.

This is the second episode in a three-part deep dive into A Path Forward, UnitedHealth Group's policy solutions that offer a refreshed perspective for how to modernize the health system to:

  • Achieve universal coverage by building on and strengthening the current system.
  • Make health care affordable by accelerating value-based care, using high-value sites of service, reforming prescription drug pricing and eliminating wasteful spending.
  • Transform the health care experience by focusing on equity and addressing disparities, expanding and diversifying the health care workforce and empowering consumers and clinicians with actionable information.

The second episode of our three-part series features Dirk McMahon, President and Chief Operating Officer at UnitedHealth Group and Heather Cianfrocco, CEO at Optum Rx, discussing ways to make the health system more affordable for consumers, employers and governments. 

Click here for more information on A Path Forward. 

]]> A Path Forward: Improving Health Care Affordability UnitedHealth Group 00:17:34 In the second installment of our three-part podcast deep dive into A Path Forward, Dirk McMahon, President and Chief Operating Officer at UnitedHealth Group and Heather Cianfrocco, CEO at Optum Rx, discuss ways to make the health system more affordable for consumers, employers and governments. In the second installment of our three-part podcast deep dive into A Path Forward, Dirk McMahon, President and Chief Operating Officer at UnitedHealth Group and Heather Cianfrocco, CEO at Optum Rx, discuss ways to make the health system more affordable for consumers, employers and governments. unitedhealth group, optum, value-based care, unitedhealthcare, medicare advantage, affordability, health care costs, optum rx, health care, drug costs, prescription drugs no full 39 0c14793e-626c-4450-aa7d-b850f8a79aeb A Path Forward: Achieving Universal Coverage UnitedHealth Group is committed to a future where every person has access to high-quality, affordable health care and a modern, high-performing health system that reduces disparities, improves outcomes and lessens the burden of disease.

This is the first episode in a three-part deep dive into A Path Forward, UnitedHealth Group's policy solutions that offer a refreshed perspective for how to modernize the health system to:

  • Achieve universal coverage by building on and strengthening the current system.
  • Make health care affordable by accelerating value-based care, using high-value sites of service, reforming prescription drug pricing and eliminating wasteful spending.
  • Transform the health care experience by focusing on equity and addressing disparities, expanding and diversifying the health care workforce and empowering consumers and clinicians with actionable information.

The first episode in our three-part series features Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, and Kristi Henderson, CEO of Optum Everycare, who discuss how to expand access to coverage and care in the U.S., including through innovative coverage and virtual capabilities.

Click here for more information on A Path Forward. 

]]> Mon, 12 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/a-path-forward-achieving-universal-coverage-KWfXYqjL UnitedHealth Group is committed to a future where every person has access to high-quality, affordable health care and a modern, high-performing health system that reduces disparities, improves outcomes and lessens the burden of disease.

This is the first episode in a three-part deep dive into A Path Forward, UnitedHealth Group's policy solutions that offer a refreshed perspective for how to modernize the health system to:

  • Achieve universal coverage by building on and strengthening the current system.
  • Make health care affordable by accelerating value-based care, using high-value sites of service, reforming prescription drug pricing and eliminating wasteful spending.
  • Transform the health care experience by focusing on equity and addressing disparities, expanding and diversifying the health care workforce and empowering consumers and clinicians with actionable information.

The first episode in our three-part series features Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, and Kristi Henderson, CEO of Optum Everycare, who discuss how to expand access to coverage and care in the U.S., including through innovative coverage and virtual capabilities.

Click here for more information on A Path Forward. 

]]> A Path Forward: Achieving Universal Coverage UnitedHealth Group 00:15:06 UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and Optum Everycare CEO Kristi Henderson join the podcast to discuss policy solutions to achieve universal coverage and expand access to care. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and Optum Everycare CEO Kristi Henderson join the podcast to discuss policy solutions to achieve universal coverage and expand access to care. unitedhealth group, optum, affordable care act, access to care, medicare, virtual care, telehealth, medicaid, unitedhealthcare, medicare advantage, aca, health care policy, universal coverage, health care no full 38 6ba524a2-115f-4758-b2bd-cad1e7b955ef Rising Youth Mental Health Challenges The pandemic has taken a huge toll on children across the nation. This increase in need for mental health support has led more children and adolescents to seek behavioral health care.

In this week's episode, Dr. Yusra Benhalim, Senior National Medical Director at Optum Behavioral Health discusses: 

  • How the pandemic has impacted children and adolescents.
  • Innovative ways that Optum has been approaching youth mental health. 
  • Resources parents can access to support their children.
]]> Thu, 5 May 2022 05:05:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/rising-youth-mental-health-challenges-9vKkuzxk The pandemic has taken a huge toll on children across the nation. This increase in need for mental health support has led more children and adolescents to seek behavioral health care.

In this week's episode, Dr. Yusra Benhalim, Senior National Medical Director at Optum Behavioral Health discusses: 

  • How the pandemic has impacted children and adolescents.
  • Innovative ways that Optum has been approaching youth mental health. 
  • Resources parents can access to support their children.
]]> Rising Youth Mental Health Challenges UnitedHealth Group 00:23:14 Dr. Yusra Benhalim, Senior Medical Director at Optum Behavioral Health, discusses the growing rates of youth mental health challenges. Dr. Yusra Benhalim, Senior Medical Director at Optum Behavioral Health, discusses the growing rates of youth mental health challenges. pandemic, optum, mental health, optum behavioral health, youth mental health, health care, child, therapist, behavioral health, families, covid-19\ no full 37 b6df4437-b9eb-43e5-b1be-9805df8ea035 5 Costliest Health Care Conditions UnitedHealthcare's Center for Advanced Analytics aims to improve well-being by engaging with clinical-intervention programs. These programs work to address social determinants of health for people in employer-sponsored benefit plans. 

In this week's episode, Craig Kurtzweil, leader of UnitedHealthcare's Center for Advanced Analytics, discusses: 

  • What the five costliest conditions are.
  • The significant drivers behind those conditions. 
  • How preventive care can assist in lowering costs. 

Read the full report here. 

]]> Thu, 21 Apr 2022 05:05:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/5-costliest-health-care-conditions-qQlLgi9c UnitedHealthcare's Center for Advanced Analytics aims to improve well-being by engaging with clinical-intervention programs. These programs work to address social determinants of health for people in employer-sponsored benefit plans. 

In this week's episode, Craig Kurtzweil, leader of UnitedHealthcare's Center for Advanced Analytics, discusses: 

  • What the five costliest conditions are.
  • The significant drivers behind those conditions. 
  • How preventive care can assist in lowering costs. 

Read the full report here. 

]]> 5 Costliest Health Care Conditions UnitedHealth Group 00:15:12 Craig Kurtzweil, leader of UnitedHealthcare's Center for Advanced Analytics, explains what five conditions are the costliest and how preventive care plays a role in improving affordability. Craig Kurtzweil, leader of UnitedHealthcare's Center for Advanced Analytics, explains what five conditions are the costliest and how preventive care plays a role in improving affordability. center for advanced analytics, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, unitedhealthcare, health care conditions, neurological, health care costs, cancer, health care no full 36 1960dee9-947f-453f-83e8-8eff21a7e0fc Dental Care Goes Virtual One of the most common reasons for emergency room visits are oral health needs. In fact, many people visit their dentist more frequently than their primary care provider. Earlier this year, UnitedHealthcare launched a virtual dental benefit. Patients can now seek virtual care for acute needs, triage before an in-person appointment and receive post-op follow-up care. 

In this episode, Colleen Van Ham, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Dental, discusses:

  • How virtual dentistry works.
  • The benefits virtual dentistry can provide.
  • How virtual dentistry can improve access to preventive care.
]]> Thu, 7 Apr 2022 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/dental-care-goes-virtual-nRmjoIxv One of the most common reasons for emergency room visits are oral health needs. In fact, many people visit their dentist more frequently than their primary care provider. Earlier this year, UnitedHealthcare launched a virtual dental benefit. Patients can now seek virtual care for acute needs, triage before an in-person appointment and receive post-op follow-up care. 

In this episode, Colleen Van Ham, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Dental, discusses:

  • How virtual dentistry works.
  • The benefits virtual dentistry can provide.
  • How virtual dentistry can improve access to preventive care.
]]> Dental Care Goes Virtual UnitedHealth Group 00:15:28 Throughout the past two years, virtual care has expanded and evolved at a rapid pace. Colleen Van Ham, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Dental, discusses how virtual dentistry is improving access to preventive care. Throughout the past two years, virtual care has expanded and evolved at a rapid pace. Colleen Van Ham, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Dental, discusses how virtual dentistry is improving access to preventive care. unitedhealth group, virtual dentistry, pandemic, optum, role, dental office, dental care, improve, health, unitedhealthcare, gum disease, members, helped, unitedhealth, dentist, oral health, people, uhg, capability, virtual, colleen, uhc, overall health, benefit, care, dental no full 35 23383129-9405-46be-bc15-58c685ddde74 Improving the Provider and Patient Experience Telehealth and telemedicine are just the beginning of a new future of serving patients where they need it most. Optum's Office for Provider Advancement embodies it's three pillars of research, excellence and partnership to better the provider and patient experience. In this episode, Dr. Amy Nguyen Howell from Optum's Office for Provider Advancement, discusses:

  • How the patient and provider experience has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • What the Office does to meet patient and provider needs.
  • Upcoming research and projects from the Office. 
]]> Thu, 24 Mar 2022 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/improving-the-provider-and-patient-experience-Yzcritcm Telehealth and telemedicine are just the beginning of a new future of serving patients where they need it most. Optum's Office for Provider Advancement embodies it's three pillars of research, excellence and partnership to better the provider and patient experience. In this episode, Dr. Amy Nguyen Howell from Optum's Office for Provider Advancement, discusses:

  • How the patient and provider experience has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • What the Office does to meet patient and provider needs.
  • Upcoming research and projects from the Office. 
]]> Improving the Provider and Patient Experience UnitedHealth Group 00:15:22 The COVID-19 pandemic has created a new sense of urgency and creativity within patient care and provider support. Dr. Amy Nguyen Howell with Optum’s Office for Provider Advancement discusses ways to improve the provider and patient experience. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a new sense of urgency and creativity within patient care and provider support. Dr. Amy Nguyen Howell with Optum’s Office for Provider Advancement discusses ways to improve the provider and patient experience. unitedhealth group, optum, pillar, health care system, clinicians, human, opportunity, excellence, patient, global pandemic, podcast, consumer, coordination, provider, health care, health care, important, organization, experience, care, physician no full 34 1817e105-eb7d-4fe6-a99b-9473ad0cde23 What's Next for the Health Care Workforce Clinician burnout has long been a concern for health care workers, but the pandemic has shed new light on the issue and related workforce concerns. The Center for Clinician Advancement at UnitedHealth Group focuses on improving clinician engagement and retention, including ways to address burnout. In this episode, UHG's Mary Jo Jerde, explains: 

  • How the Center works to address clinician burnout. 
  • The importance of a healthy work-life balance. 
  • Why there's optimism for the future of the workforce. 
]]> Thu, 10 Mar 2022 06:05:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/whats-next-for-the-health-care-workforce-HdNcqwTa Clinician burnout has long been a concern for health care workers, but the pandemic has shed new light on the issue and related workforce concerns. The Center for Clinician Advancement at UnitedHealth Group focuses on improving clinician engagement and retention, including ways to address burnout. In this episode, UHG's Mary Jo Jerde, explains: 

  • How the Center works to address clinician burnout. 
  • The importance of a healthy work-life balance. 
  • Why there's optimism for the future of the workforce. 
]]> What's Next for the Health Care Workforce UnitedHealth Group 00:15:18 The health care workforce shortage, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, is one of the biggest issues facing the industry in 2022. Clinicians across the industry are struggling with high rates of burnout and pandemic fatigue. UnitedHealth Group's Mary Jo Jerde discusses the impact of clinician burnout and how the Center for Clinician Advancement is working to build a sustainable health care workforce. The health care workforce shortage, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, is one of the biggest issues facing the industry in 2022. Clinicians across the industry are struggling with high rates of burnout and pandemic fatigue. UnitedHealth Group's Mary Jo Jerde discusses the impact of clinician burnout and how the Center for Clinician Advancement is working to build a sustainable health care workforce. unitedhealth group, pandemic, doctors, clinicians, nurses, healthcare, burnout, clinician burnout, center for clinician advancement, health care, health care workforce no full 33 491e0421-d02b-4d8b-8cc8-c389b22175b3 Evaluating the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines As the FDA went about the critical work of evaluating the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, the agency tapped Optum Scientific Consulting, with a 25-year history of evaluating drugs and vaccines. In this episode, Optum's Chief Scientific Officer John Seeger explains: 

  • Optum Scientific Consulting's history of evaluating drugs and vaccines.
  • The group's partnership with the FDA to evaluate COVID-19 vaccines for kids ages 5 to 11. 
  • The broader impact and promise of data on drug and vaccine safety. 
]]> Thu, 3 Mar 2022 06:05:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/evaluating-the-safety-of-covid-19-vaccines-8Aj7M4ex As the FDA went about the critical work of evaluating the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, the agency tapped Optum Scientific Consulting, with a 25-year history of evaluating drugs and vaccines. In this episode, Optum's Chief Scientific Officer John Seeger explains: 

  • Optum Scientific Consulting's history of evaluating drugs and vaccines.
  • The group's partnership with the FDA to evaluate COVID-19 vaccines for kids ages 5 to 11. 
  • The broader impact and promise of data on drug and vaccine safety. 
]]> Evaluating the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines UnitedHealth Group 00:20:38 When it came time to evaluate the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, the FDA tapped into Optum Scientific Consulting's 25 year history of conducting drug and vaccine safety. Optum Chief Scientific Officer John Seeger discusses the companies role in evaluating vaccines for kids ages 5 to 11 and the broader impact data has on drug and vaccine safety. When it came time to evaluate the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, the FDA tapped into Optum Scientific Consulting's 25 year history of conducting drug and vaccine safety. Optum Chief Scientific Officer John Seeger discusses the companies role in evaluating vaccines for kids ages 5 to 11 and the broader impact data has on drug and vaccine safety. unitedhealth group, covid-19, pandemic, optum, seeger, epidemiologist, team, unitedhealthcare, question, john seeger, data, drug, epidemiology, fda, podcast, vaccine, study, conduct, weekly dose, risk, inference no full 32 17669a71-d0f0-46b0-8f57-880cb0ad4a22 Reducing Friction in Health Care Health care has long suffered from too much friction, which adds billions of dollars in costs to the system and creates more challenges for both consumers and providers. In this episode, Optum Insight's Shea Helmle discusses the biggest friction points in health care and how companies are using data to identifying and eliminate friction to improve patient care. 

]]> Thu, 24 Feb 2022 06:05:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/reducing-friction-in-health-care-0g7UD7zc Health care has long suffered from too much friction, which adds billions of dollars in costs to the system and creates more challenges for both consumers and providers. In this episode, Optum Insight's Shea Helmle discusses the biggest friction points in health care and how companies are using data to identifying and eliminate friction to improve patient care. 

]]> Reducing Friction in Health Care UnitedHealth Group 00:15:29 Eliminating friction points in health care could save the health system billions of dollars and improve patient outcomes. Optum Insight's Shea Helmle joins the podcast to discuss where that friction exists and how to root it out. Eliminating friction points in health care could save the health system billions of dollars and improve patient outcomes. Optum Insight's Shea Helmle joins the podcast to discuss where that friction exists and how to root it out. unitedhealth group, spent, optum, parties, member, unitedhealthcare, market, data, cost, reducing, clinical data, podcast, friction, outcomes, payers, provide, transparency, constituents, providers, health care, care no full 31 3285e676-03ba-49bf-8d83-271824ead9ca The Rise of Virtual First Health Plans Following a significant rise in virtual care during the pandemic, insurers see new opportunities to connect members with virtual first health plans that can expand access to care and help providers manage chronic disease. New offerings – including UnitedHealthcare's NavigateNOW – are providing 24/7 access to primary, behavioral and urgent care in a way that can help patients easily navigate the health system. Karen Silgen, vice president of virtual care at UnitedHealthcare, joins the Weekly Dose podcast to discuss the growing interest in virtual first health plans and the impact they can have for providers and consumers. 

]]> Thu, 17 Feb 2022 06:05:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/the-rise-of-virtual-first-health-plans-_Wzzgvhs Following a significant rise in virtual care during the pandemic, insurers see new opportunities to connect members with virtual first health plans that can expand access to care and help providers manage chronic disease. New offerings – including UnitedHealthcare's NavigateNOW – are providing 24/7 access to primary, behavioral and urgent care in a way that can help patients easily navigate the health system. Karen Silgen, vice president of virtual care at UnitedHealthcare, joins the Weekly Dose podcast to discuss the growing interest in virtual first health plans and the impact they can have for providers and consumers. 

]]> The Rise of Virtual First Health Plans UnitedHealth Group 00:14:20 Heading into the third year of the pandemic, virtual care has become more ubiquitous than ever before, and health plans are responding with virtual first health plans that can improve access to care. UnitedHealthcare's Karen Silgen joins the podcast to discuss the rise of virtual care and the recent launch of NavigateNOW. Heading into the third year of the pandemic, virtual care has become more ubiquitous than ever before, and health plans are responding with virtual first health plans that can improve access to care. UnitedHealthcare's Karen Silgen joins the podcast to discuss the rise of virtual care and the recent launch of NavigateNOW. unitedhealth group, pandemic, optum, virtual care, telehealth, member, unitedhealthcare, consumers, healthcare, urgent care, podcast, virtual, provider, health care, technology, navigatenow, patients, care no full 30 5598a570-9a02-49eb-8c59-9f126aba3204 The Power of Partnerships Instead of pursuing traditional mergers and acquisitions, more hospitals are seeking external partnerships that can help them improve revenue cycle management and build new capabilities at scale. Optum Insight's Nick Howell discusses several recent health system partnerships and what it means for the health care industry moving forward.

]]> Thu, 10 Feb 2022 06:05:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/the-power-of-partnerships-Xy9D2Erd Instead of pursuing traditional mergers and acquisitions, more hospitals are seeking external partnerships that can help them improve revenue cycle management and build new capabilities at scale. Optum Insight's Nick Howell discusses several recent health system partnerships and what it means for the health care industry moving forward.

]]> The Power of Partnerships UnitedHealth Group 00:12:45 Hospitals and health systems are increasingly seeking partnerships that can help them improve administrative capabilities and drive strategic growth. Optum Insight's Nick Howell explains why these partnerships can be an alternative to mergers and acquisitions, and how Optum is developing a new industry model. Hospitals and health systems are increasingly seeking partnerships that can help them improve administrative capabilities and drive strategic growth. Optum Insight's Nick Howell explains why these partnerships can be an alternative to mergers and acquisitions, and how Optum is developing a new industry model. unitedhealth group, optum, ssm health, john muir health, revenue cycle management, boulder community health, strategic growth, health care partnerships, health care no full 29 94193668-9431-41f9-bde2-bc68d78cc9e1 The Benefits of Biosimilar Drugs The use of biosimilar drugs – which mimic existing biologic drugs – could reduce U.S. drug costs by more than $100 billion over the next five years. However, there are still challenges in getting these lower-cost medications into the hands of patients. Savitha Vivian, Senior Vice President, Clinical and Formulary Services at Optum Rx, discusses the pipeline of biosimilar drugs – including a highly-anticipated 2023 launch – and how broader use of biosimilars could improve prescription drug affordability for patients.

]]> Thu, 3 Feb 2022 06:05:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/the-benefits-of-biosimilar-drugs-lZyUd7UG The use of biosimilar drugs – which mimic existing biologic drugs – could reduce U.S. drug costs by more than $100 billion over the next five years. However, there are still challenges in getting these lower-cost medications into the hands of patients. Savitha Vivian, Senior Vice President, Clinical and Formulary Services at Optum Rx, discusses the pipeline of biosimilar drugs – including a highly-anticipated 2023 launch – and how broader use of biosimilars could improve prescription drug affordability for patients.

]]> The Benefits of Biosimilar Drugs UnitedHealth Group 00:15:55 Biosimilar drugs have the potential to make a significant impact on prescription drug costs. Optum Rx's Savitha Vivian joins the Weekly Dose podcast to discuss the pipeline of biologic drugs and the impact they could have on access and affordability. Biosimilar drugs have the potential to make a significant impact on prescription drug costs. Optum Rx's Savitha Vivian joins the Weekly Dose podcast to discuss the pipeline of biologic drugs and the impact they could have on access and affordability. optum, biosimilars, pharmaceuticals, physicians, health care costs, optum rx, biologics, drug costs, prescribing, prescription drugs no full 28 181c21e3-10bf-45b6-9c57-b3d3145f5468 Building Resiliency in Children Children have suffered tremendous mental stress during the pandemic. A new partnership between Sesame Workshop and UnitedHealthcare, the nation's largest private insurer, aims to teach kids how to be more resilient to help them weather the COVID-19 storm. 

]]> Thu, 27 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/building-resiliency-in-children-sJLaxxUG Children have suffered tremendous mental stress during the pandemic. A new partnership between Sesame Workshop and UnitedHealthcare, the nation's largest private insurer, aims to teach kids how to be more resilient to help them weather the COVID-19 storm. 

]]> Building Resiliency in Children UnitedHealth Group 00:18:38 A new partnership between Sesame Workshop and UnitedHealthcare aims to build resiliency in children to help them navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.  A new partnership between Sesame Workshop and UnitedHealthcare aims to build resiliency in children to help them navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.  covid-19, pandemic, sesame workshop, unitedhealthcare, sesame street, mental health, kids, children, uhc, providers, caregivers, health care, resilience, families no full 27 9ffc5352-8d22-4bbd-aeb2-39ef8c15755b How America's Health Changed During the Pandemic The 2021 America's Health Rankings report paints a complex and nuanced picture of America's health during the COVID-19 pandemic, including reversals of longer term trends across several measures. Some figures in the report appear at first glance to be quite alarming, while others appear surprisingly strong. Dr. Rhonda Randall, Chief Medical Officer of UnitedHealthcare E&I, breaks down the findings with host Ira Apfel.

]]> Thu, 13 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/how-americas-health-changed-during-the-pandemic-5OG6s_jY The 2021 America's Health Rankings report paints a complex and nuanced picture of America's health during the COVID-19 pandemic, including reversals of longer term trends across several measures. Some figures in the report appear at first glance to be quite alarming, while others appear surprisingly strong. Dr. Rhonda Randall, Chief Medical Officer of UnitedHealthcare E&I, breaks down the findings with host Ira Apfel.

]]> How America's Health Changed During the Pandemic UnitedHealth Group 00:15:54 How has America's health changed during the COVID-19 pandemic? Dr. Rhonda Randall, Chief Medical Officer of UnitedHealthcare E&I, speaks with host Ira Apfel and offers some perspective, using the 2021 America's Health Rankings Annual Report. How has America's health changed during the COVID-19 pandemic? Dr. Rhonda Randall, Chief Medical Officer of UnitedHealthcare E&I, speaks with host Ira Apfel and offers some perspective, using the 2021 America's Health Rankings Annual Report. unitedhealth group, covid-19, arthritis, diabetes, asthma, pandemic, depression, cdc, health, unitedhealthcare, chronic kidney disease, data, chronic lung disease, cancer, insufficient sleep, mental distress, health rankings, heart disease, multiple chronic conditions no full 26 dd5bb08e-2e8a-412c-a195-0eb4069251e1 The Rise of Direct-to-Consumer Health Care No area of the health care industry is more competitive than the Direct-to-Consumer market. Startups have emerged, promising to sell generic drugs inexpensively online. Legacy providers are offering telehealth and prescription drugs as well. And now there's big retailers, including Amazon, getting in on the act as well. Here to discuss the trend with host Ira Apfel is Faiz Ahmad, CEO of Optum Direct-to-Consumer.

]]> Thu, 6 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/the-rise-of-direct-to-consumer-health-care-QY9OG7Ej No area of the health care industry is more competitive than the Direct-to-Consumer market. Startups have emerged, promising to sell generic drugs inexpensively online. Legacy providers are offering telehealth and prescription drugs as well. And now there's big retailers, including Amazon, getting in on the act as well. Here to discuss the trend with host Ira Apfel is Faiz Ahmad, CEO of Optum Direct-to-Consumer.

]]> The Rise of Direct-to-Consumer Health Care UnitedHealth Group 00:13:09 Optum's Faiz Ahmad explains the rise of Direct-to-Consumer health care -- and its impact on the industry -- to host Ira Apfel. Optum's Faiz Ahmad explains the rise of Direct-to-Consumer health care -- and its impact on the industry -- to host Ira Apfel. unitedhealth group, pandemic, optum, direct, d2c, store, dtc, pharmacy, consumers, aisle, healthcare, direct-to-consumer, health care, test kits, digital no full 25 a9ad6e58-709e-4f5d-8a5a-18a5ecb6fcdf The Year in Health Care It's been an incredible year in health care, so we thought this was a good time to look back at where we started, and try to get an idea of where health care is headed for 2022. COVID-19 dominated health care news, of course, but there were many other critical topics, including the expansion of the Affordable Care Act, health equity and disparities, the IPO boom, drug pricing, artificial intelligence, gene therapy, and more. 

]]> Thu, 16 Dec 2021 06:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/the-year-in-health-care-3sO1I6vh It's been an incredible year in health care, so we thought this was a good time to look back at where we started, and try to get an idea of where health care is headed for 2022. COVID-19 dominated health care news, of course, but there were many other critical topics, including the expansion of the Affordable Care Act, health equity and disparities, the IPO boom, drug pricing, artificial intelligence, gene therapy, and more. 

]]> The Year in Health Care UnitedHealth Group 00:17:25 In this episode, Weekly Dose Podcast host Ira Apfel looks back at the big health care stories of 2021 and looks ahead to the trending storylines of 2022. In this episode, Weekly Dose Podcast host Ira Apfel looks back at the big health care stories of 2021 and looks ahead to the trending storylines of 2022. unitedhealth group, specialty drugs, gene therapy, pandemic, optum, unitedhealthcare, artificial intelligence, special enrollment period, ai, pharmacy, healthcare, drugs, weekly dose, health care, genomics no full 24 9e3174d3-5439-4136-b34e-da53da44bd55 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Health Care In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and protests following the death of George Floyd exposed long-standing equity issues in health care. Patients of all races, genders and religions sought more equitable care while health care workers asked for more inclusiveness and respect in the workplace. 

In the meantime, a business case for health equity began to emerge. According to one study, the U.S. economic output would increase by $2.7 trillion annually if race-based disparities within the health care system were addressed. Health care leaders have taken notice of the need to improve health equity. But it's an enormous challenge and prioritizing measures is no easy task. 

So how much has changed regarding health equity in the last 18 months? Here to explain what's happening is Joy Fitzgerald, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer with UnitedHealth Group.

]]> Thu, 9 Dec 2021 15:46:26 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-health-care-A_w3oYvx In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and protests following the death of George Floyd exposed long-standing equity issues in health care. Patients of all races, genders and religions sought more equitable care while health care workers asked for more inclusiveness and respect in the workplace. 

In the meantime, a business case for health equity began to emerge. According to one study, the U.S. economic output would increase by $2.7 trillion annually if race-based disparities within the health care system were addressed. Health care leaders have taken notice of the need to improve health equity. But it's an enormous challenge and prioritizing measures is no easy task. 

So how much has changed regarding health equity in the last 18 months? Here to explain what's happening is Joy Fitzgerald, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer with UnitedHealth Group.

]]> Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Health Care UnitedHealth Group 00:16:23 Joy Fitzgerald, Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer for UnitedHealth Group, shares her perspective on the evolution of DE&I and what it means to UnitedHealth Group. Joy Fitzgerald, Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer for UnitedHealth Group, shares her perspective on the evolution of DE&I and what it means to UnitedHealth Group. unitedhealth group, covid-19, pandemic, joy fitzgerald, equity, health care system, health equity, diversity, inclusion, healthcare, health care, patients, healthcare industry no full 23 864926f5-95aa-4d16-b9b0-0ebb620aac2d Taking the Surprise Out of Surprise Medical Bills One of the most important pieces of health care legislation was signed into law last December. The No Surprises Act was designed to protect consumers from surprise medical bills, those medical bills that come unexpectedly and often with high price tags. But heading into 2022, hospitals and insurers are still trying to determine how to implement the legislation's requirements. So what's at stake with the legislation? And how does it  affect patients, hospitals and insurers? Lisa McDonnel of UnitedHealthcare and Michael Wentzien of Naviguard explain in this week's episode. 

]]> Thu, 18 Nov 2021 06:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/taking-the-surprise-out-of-surprise-medical-bills-eEThcoN3 One of the most important pieces of health care legislation was signed into law last December. The No Surprises Act was designed to protect consumers from surprise medical bills, those medical bills that come unexpectedly and often with high price tags. But heading into 2022, hospitals and insurers are still trying to determine how to implement the legislation's requirements. So what's at stake with the legislation? And how does it  affect patients, hospitals and insurers? Lisa McDonnel of UnitedHealthcare and Michael Wentzien of Naviguard explain in this week's episode. 

]]> Taking the Surprise Out of Surprise Medical Bills UnitedHealth Group 00:17:19 The No Surprises Act was passed by Congress to protect consumers from surprise medical bills, which come unexpectedly and often with high price tags. What's really in the legislation? And how will it affect patients, hospitals and insurers? Lisa McDonnel of UnitedHealthcare and Michael Wentzien of Naviguard visited the Weekly Dose to explain. The No Surprises Act was passed by Congress to protect consumers from surprise medical bills, which come unexpectedly and often with high price tags. What's really in the legislation? And how will it affect patients, hospitals and insurers? Lisa McDonnel of UnitedHealthcare and Michael Wentzien of Naviguard visited the Weekly Dose to explain. arbitration, consumers, employers, surprise medical bills, law, surprise billing, legislation, provider, balance billing, no surprises act, patients no full 22 e5b1957a-6cfb-411c-98c3-111a28e4241c Fulfilling the Promise of Genomics It's been more than 20 years since scientists completed the first draft of the human genome. Decoding the human genetic blueprint held so much promise that it was even lauded by President Clinton. Yet, genomics has yielded surprisingly little by way of health care innovation -- until now? Dr. Jill Hagenkord of Optum Genomics joins Weekly Dose Podcast host Ira Apfel to discuss a potential new advancement in the field of genomics. 

]]> Thu, 11 Nov 2021 06:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/fulfilling-the-promise-of-genomics-WpjTfeNF It's been more than 20 years since scientists completed the first draft of the human genome. Decoding the human genetic blueprint held so much promise that it was even lauded by President Clinton. Yet, genomics has yielded surprisingly little by way of health care innovation -- until now? Dr. Jill Hagenkord of Optum Genomics joins Weekly Dose Podcast host Ira Apfel to discuss a potential new advancement in the field of genomics. 

]]> Fulfilling the Promise of Genomics UnitedHealth Group 00:12:38 This week, Dr. Jill Hagenkord visits the Weekly Dose Podcast to discuss genomics -- is it finally ready to fulfill its promise? This week, Dr. Jill Hagenkord visits the Weekly Dose Podcast to discuss genomics -- is it finally ready to fulfill its promise? unitedhealth group, optum, dna, precision medicine, disease, healthcare, human genome, cystic fibrosis, health care, genomics no full 21 0f1caa51-70d1-48e1-9863-49332cc7601a Open Enrollment is Here It's Open Enrollment season, that time of year when millions of Americans choose their health care provider. And with more options than ever before, Open Enrollment can be a bit daunting. So we thought it would be a good idea to bring in an expert to help listeners make an informed decision -- Rebecca Madsen of UnitedHealthcare. 

]]> Thu, 4 Nov 2021 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/open-enrollment-is-here-L_ZEJJpv It's Open Enrollment season, that time of year when millions of Americans choose their health care provider. And with more options than ever before, Open Enrollment can be a bit daunting. So we thought it would be a good idea to bring in an expert to help listeners make an informed decision -- Rebecca Madsen of UnitedHealthcare. 

]]> Open Enrollment is Here UnitedHealth Group 00:14:04 Rebecca Madsen, Chief Consumer Officer of UnitedHealthcare, reveals what's new for this Open Enrollment season – and how to get the most out of it. Rebecca Madsen, Chief Consumer Officer of UnitedHealthcare, reveals what's new for this Open Enrollment season – and how to get the most out of it. unitedhealth group, employee, employer, pandemic, wellness programs, benefits, deductible, unitedhealthcare, open enrollment no full 20 20a9e923-ed55-40f9-bb82-fdb6739afb19 A New Approach to Treating Rare Diseases Many diseases are so rare that they are often misdiagnosed -- and, even if diagnosed properly, some therapies only treat the symptoms, not the underlying disease. But there's new hope for those who suffer from a rare disease, and the health care field is certainly looking at new approaches to treating them. Erin Satterwhite, President & GM of Optum Frontier Therapies, offers her insights.

]]> Thu, 28 Oct 2021 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/a-new-approach-to-treating-rare-diseases-G0KSOZLf Many diseases are so rare that they are often misdiagnosed -- and, even if diagnosed properly, some therapies only treat the symptoms, not the underlying disease. But there's new hope for those who suffer from a rare disease, and the health care field is certainly looking at new approaches to treating them. Erin Satterwhite, President & GM of Optum Frontier Therapies, offers her insights.

]]> A New Approach to Treating Rare Diseases UnitedHealth Group 00:12:16 In this episode, Erin Satterwhite, President & GM of Optum Frontier Therapies, explains why treating rare diseases is so difficult – and a bold new plan to address the challenge. In this episode, Erin Satterwhite, President & GM of Optum Frontier Therapies, explains why treating rare diseases is so difficult – and a bold new plan to address the challenge. optum, rare disease, specialty pharmacy, gene therapies, disease, pharmacy, work, rare diseases, cures, treatments, patients no full 19 aa8a3382-7d2e-4045-96b3-7633efa22c47 New Research: Why Site of Care Matters Sometimes health care is all about location, location, location: Patients can save money by using ambulatory surgery centers instead of hospital outpatient departments, according to new UnitedHealth Group research. It's the latest in a series of research findings that show ambulatory surgery centers can provide high quality care at a lower cost. Protima Advani, Senior Vice President with UnitedHealth Group, explain why. 

]]> Thu, 21 Oct 2021 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/new-research-why-site-of-care-matters-ZHamMx4U Sometimes health care is all about location, location, location: Patients can save money by using ambulatory surgery centers instead of hospital outpatient departments, according to new UnitedHealth Group research. It's the latest in a series of research findings that show ambulatory surgery centers can provide high quality care at a lower cost. Protima Advani, Senior Vice President with UnitedHealth Group, explain why. 

]]> New Research: Why Site of Care Matters UnitedHealth Group 00:10:41 UnitedHealth Group Senior Vice President Protima Advani breaks down new research that reveals patients can save money by using ambulatory surgery centers instead of hospital outpatient departments. UnitedHealth Group Senior Vice President Protima Advani breaks down new research that reveals patients can save money by using ambulatory surgery centers instead of hospital outpatient departments. unitedhealth group, hospital outpatient, procedures, hospitals, cost, consumers, ambulatory surgery centers, savings, hospital setting, physicians, research, patients no full 18 443b44c0-7888-4c7b-b33d-0f71c0645642 Why Health Literacy Matters New research from UnitedHealth Group shows people who live in communities with lower health literacy levels are at greater risk for poor health outcomes and high costs. The impact is substantial: Improving health literacy could prevent nearly 1 million hospital visits and save over $25 billion a year. To  help  explain health literacy, Lambert van der Walde, SVP & Executive Director, Center for Health Care Research at UnitedHealth Group, joins the podcast. 

]]> Thu, 7 Oct 2021 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/why-health-literacy-matters-j2ZOPxD9 New research from UnitedHealth Group shows people who live in communities with lower health literacy levels are at greater risk for poor health outcomes and high costs. The impact is substantial: Improving health literacy could prevent nearly 1 million hospital visits and save over $25 billion a year. To  help  explain health literacy, Lambert van der Walde, SVP & Executive Director, Center for Health Care Research at UnitedHealth Group, joins the podcast. 

]]> Why Health Literacy Matters UnitedHealth Group 00:14:18 October is National Health Literacy Month, so to help celebrate Lambert van der Walde, Executive Director of the Center for Health Care Research at UnitedHealth Group, joins the Weekly Dose to explain new health literacy research. October is National Health Literacy Month, so to help celebrate Lambert van der Walde, Executive Director of the Center for Health Care Research at UnitedHealth Group, joins the Weekly Dose to explain new health literacy research. unitedhealth group, health, health literacy, limited health literacy, patient, low health literacy no full 17 c42e0bc5-2733-4df6-a27c-9d3754e4053a The Future of Nursing You don’t have to search too long to read or hear a story about the crisis in nursing today. And it’s easy to understand why: Nurses are on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic, and they are bearing the brunt of the impact. Burnout is a real issue. Attrition rates are rising and retention rates are falling. But nurses are also part of the solution, especially in addressing long term primary care shortages that are predicted to come. Kristy Duffey, Chief Nursing Officer with Optum, explains why she is optimistic about the future of nursing.

]]> Thu, 30 Sep 2021 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/the-future-of-nursing-Es4DT7WK You don’t have to search too long to read or hear a story about the crisis in nursing today. And it’s easy to understand why: Nurses are on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic, and they are bearing the brunt of the impact. Burnout is a real issue. Attrition rates are rising and retention rates are falling. But nurses are also part of the solution, especially in addressing long term primary care shortages that are predicted to come. Kristy Duffey, Chief Nursing Officer with Optum, explains why she is optimistic about the future of nursing.

]]> The Future of Nursing UnitedHealth Group 00:12:56 Kristy Duffey, Chief Nursing Officer with Optum, explains why she is optimistic about the future of nursing -- even amid the pandemic. Kristy Duffey, Chief Nursing Officer with Optum, explains why she is optimistic about the future of nursing -- even amid the pandemic. unitedhealth group, nurse practitioners, pandemic, optum, nursing profession, chief nursing officer, monoclonal antibodies, waivers, nurses, nursing, vaccines no full 16 5be2b351-8d24-472c-b22c-6c1d1461b35c Delivering Community-Based Care Fully 80% of an individual's health is determined by what happens outside a doctor's office. So if it really takes a community to raise a healthy person, what is the best way forward for the health care industry? Catherine Anderson, Senior Vice President of Policy & Strategy with UnitedHealthcare Community & State, joins the podcast to explain how the health care industry is working on a community level.

]]> Thu, 23 Sep 2021 05:01:11 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/delivering-community-based-care-1JptnttX Fully 80% of an individual's health is determined by what happens outside a doctor's office. So if it really takes a community to raise a healthy person, what is the best way forward for the health care industry? Catherine Anderson, Senior Vice President of Policy & Strategy with UnitedHealthcare Community & State, joins the podcast to explain how the health care industry is working on a community level.

]]> Delivering Community-Based Care UnitedHealth Group 00:14:44 UnitedHealthcare's Catherine Anderson explains how community partnerships can improve care beyond the doctor's office. UnitedHealthcare's Catherine Anderson explains how community partnerships can improve care beyond the doctor's office. community based organization, health, unitedhealthcare, community-based health care, unitedhealthcare catalyst, social determinants of health, community, health care, physician no full 15 d9fd45e1-83f5-4de9-a48d-e474d1670576 The Crisis in Kidney Care Nearly 800,000 Americans have irreversible kidney failure and need dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive, and more than half a million of these patients receive dialysis to replace kidney function. In this episode of the Weekly Dose Podcast, Dr. David Cook, Senior Vice President and Senior Research Fellow at UnitedHealth Group's OptumLabs, explains the crisis in kidney care as well as the possible solutions.

]]> Thu, 16 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/the-crisis-in-kidney-care-9B5BY3sm Nearly 800,000 Americans have irreversible kidney failure and need dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive, and more than half a million of these patients receive dialysis to replace kidney function. In this episode of the Weekly Dose Podcast, Dr. David Cook, Senior Vice President and Senior Research Fellow at UnitedHealth Group's OptumLabs, explains the crisis in kidney care as well as the possible solutions.

]]> The Crisis in Kidney Care UnitedHealth Group 00:15:14 Fully 37 million American adults have chronic kidney disease -- and as many as 90% don't know they have it. Dr. David Cook of OptumLabs joins the podcast to explain why -- and how -- health care is responding. Fully 37 million American adults have chronic kidney disease -- and as many as 90% don't know they have it. Dr. David Cook of OptumLabs joins the podcast to explain why -- and how -- health care is responding. unitedhealth group, dialysis, dialysis center, healthcare, national kidney foundation, late stage disease, health care, kidney disease, kidney no full 14 db6cec0a-ebdc-4ded-a6f6-a48d88264c60 AI's Impact on Health Care Artificial intelligence has long been on health care's radar, and the industry is seeing historic investment this year. At the same time, health care  is wrestling with challenges, such as negating unintentional bias. Joining the podcast to explain the latest AI developments in health care is Srinivas Sridhara, VP of Enterprise Data Strategy and Data Science at Optum.

]]> Thu, 9 Sep 2021 10:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/ais-impact-on-health-care-WbM8fwRY Artificial intelligence has long been on health care's radar, and the industry is seeing historic investment this year. At the same time, health care  is wrestling with challenges, such as negating unintentional bias. Joining the podcast to explain the latest AI developments in health care is Srinivas Sridhara, VP of Enterprise Data Strategy and Data Science at Optum.

]]> AI's Impact on Health Care UnitedHealth Group 00:14:01 Optum's Srinivas Sridhara provides an update on the latest in AI and health care. Optum's Srinivas Sridhara provides an update on the latest in AI and health care. bias, unitedhealth group, optum, data, ai, algorithms, healthcare, health care, prior authorization no full 13 f7388628-af76-4281-8b1c-f7e9981d8e09 Health Disparities: America's Stark Divide The inaugural America's Health Rankings Health Disparities Report focuses on the inequalities in health care by race and ethnicity, gender, age, education and other measures. The report revealed an urgent need to address maternal mortality, mental and behavioral health and food insecurity in the United States. Why are health disparities so stark right now? Dr. Rhonda Randall, Chief Medical Officer of UnitedHealthcare E&I joins the podcast to explain.

]]> Thu, 19 Aug 2021 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/why-measuring-health-disparities-matters-aYQVtK3W The inaugural America's Health Rankings Health Disparities Report focuses on the inequalities in health care by race and ethnicity, gender, age, education and other measures. The report revealed an urgent need to address maternal mortality, mental and behavioral health and food insecurity in the United States. Why are health disparities so stark right now? Dr. Rhonda Randall, Chief Medical Officer of UnitedHealthcare E&I joins the podcast to explain.

]]> Health Disparities: America's Stark Divide UnitedHealth Group 00:13:16 Why are health disparities so stark in America right now? Dr. Rhonda Randall, Chief Medical Officer of UnitedHealthcare E&I, joins the podcast to explain. Why are health disparities so stark in America right now? Dr. Rhonda Randall, Chief Medical Officer of UnitedHealthcare E&I, joins the podcast to explain. pandemic, health, educational attainment, maternal mortality, unitedhealthcare, disparities, health disparities, health care no full 12 fea2c3f5-0286-4d1b-95ca-6ec1f8af61c5 Reducing Maternal Health Disparities The mortality rate for expectant Black mothers is more than twice the rate for white mothers, according to the new America's Health Rankings Health Disparities Report. Additionally, between 2005 and 2019, the maternal mortality rate for Black mothers increased 22%. What's driving these maternal health disparities? Dr. Janice Huckaby, Chief Medical Officer Maternal Child Health for Optum Population Health Services, shares her thoughts.

]]> Thu, 12 Aug 2021 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/reducing-maternal-health-disparities-zCzaLv5i The mortality rate for expectant Black mothers is more than twice the rate for white mothers, according to the new America's Health Rankings Health Disparities Report. Additionally, between 2005 and 2019, the maternal mortality rate for Black mothers increased 22%. What's driving these maternal health disparities? Dr. Janice Huckaby, Chief Medical Officer Maternal Child Health for Optum Population Health Services, shares her thoughts.

]]> Reducing Maternal Health Disparities UnitedHealth Group 00:12:12 The mortality rate for expectant Black mothers is more than twice the rate for white mothers, according to the new America's Health Rankings Health Disparities Report. Dr. Janice Huckaby explains why -- and how to address it. The mortality rate for expectant Black mothers is more than twice the rate for white mothers, according to the new America's Health Rankings Health Disparities Report. Dr. Janice Huckaby explains why -- and how to address it. optum, maternal health, health, disparities, expectant mothers, mothers, maternal health care, pregnancy, women no full 11 67a8d119-3912-4680-b50a-553c9740f1f2 Behind the Boom in Health Care IPOs and SPACs Initial public offerings reached record highs in this year, both in volume and the amount of money raised. No less than 365 companies went public in the first quarter alone, a 677% increase compared to the prior year. Many of these public offerings are driven by SPACs, or special purpose acquisition corporations set up for the sole purpose of raising capital to acquire a company and take it public. So why are so many companies opting to go public now? Zack Sopcak, Vice President of Investor Relations at UnitedHealth Group, offers his insights. 

]]> Thu, 5 Aug 2021 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/whats-behind-the-boom-in-health-care-ipos-and-spacs-9x2YhNHV Initial public offerings reached record highs in this year, both in volume and the amount of money raised. No less than 365 companies went public in the first quarter alone, a 677% increase compared to the prior year. Many of these public offerings are driven by SPACs, or special purpose acquisition corporations set up for the sole purpose of raising capital to acquire a company and take it public. So why are so many companies opting to go public now? Zack Sopcak, Vice President of Investor Relations at UnitedHealth Group, offers his insights. 

]]> Behind the Boom in Health Care IPOs and SPACs UnitedHealth Group 00:14:18 IPOs and SPACs are happening in record numbers in 2021. Zack Sopcak, Vice President of Investor Relations at UnitedHealth Group, explains why in this episode. IPOs and SPACs are happening in record numbers in 2021. Zack Sopcak, Vice President of Investor Relations at UnitedHealth Group, explains why in this episode. unitedhealth group, optum, spac, investor relations, stock, market, unitedhealth, healthcare, acquisition, investors, ipo no full 10 b8f27145-9603-4c22-a241-cc221196dee6 Helping People With Behavioral Health Issues Get Vaccinated Some people remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 because they are hesitant or hard to reach. People suffering from behavioral health issues are especially challenging to vaccinate -- and the Delta Variant makes vaccinations more critical than ever. In this episode, Natasha Hennessey, Chief Pharmacy Officer Clinical Services with Genoa Healthcare, details her organization's efforts to vaccinate people who suffer from behavioral health issues.

]]> Thu, 29 Jul 2021 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/helping-people-with-behavioral-health-issues-receive-covid-19-vaccines-CQH4F15N Some people remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 because they are hesitant or hard to reach. People suffering from behavioral health issues are especially challenging to vaccinate -- and the Delta Variant makes vaccinations more critical than ever. In this episode, Natasha Hennessey, Chief Pharmacy Officer Clinical Services with Genoa Healthcare, details her organization's efforts to vaccinate people who suffer from behavioral health issues.

]]> Helping People With Behavioral Health Issues Get Vaccinated UnitedHealth Group 00:11:37 How people suffering from behavioral health issues are getting COVID-19 vaccinations, with Natasha Hennessey, Chief Pharmacy Officer for Genoa Healthcare. How people suffering from behavioral health issues are getting COVID-19 vaccinations, with Natasha Hennessey, Chief Pharmacy Officer for Genoa Healthcare. unitedhealth group, immunizations, covid-19, coronavirus, pandemic, pharmacists, medication, behavioral health issues, vaccination rates, vaccinations, pharmacy, genoa, healthcare, vaccine hesitancy no full 9 85d1ccc0-de93-4297-8bfa-2deb6c74f77d Why Do Specialty Drugs Cost So Much? With the FDA's  recent approval of a new drug to treat people suffering from Alzheimer's disease, the approval could be a nightmare drug spending scenario -- an extremely expensive product that millions of desperate patients could be eligible for. What factors went into that decision? And what can be done to lower the out-of-pocket cost of prescription drugs for consumers? Matt Vesledahl, a Senior Vice President with  UnitedHealthcare, offers his perspective.

]]> Thu, 22 Jul 2021 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/why-do-specialty-drugs-cost-so-much-fa_JBk40 With the FDA's  recent approval of a new drug to treat people suffering from Alzheimer's disease, the approval could be a nightmare drug spending scenario -- an extremely expensive product that millions of desperate patients could be eligible for. What factors went into that decision? And what can be done to lower the out-of-pocket cost of prescription drugs for consumers? Matt Vesledahl, a Senior Vice President with  UnitedHealthcare, offers his perspective.

]]> Why Do Specialty Drugs Cost So Much? UnitedHealth Group 00:11:55 UnitedHealthcare's Matt Vesledahl explains why specialty prescription drug prices are rising – and what insurers are doing in response. UnitedHealthcare's Matt Vesledahl explains why specialty prescription drug prices are rising – and what insurers are doing in response. pharma companies, unitedhealthcare, pharmacy, drug, pharma, cost, medical costs, formulary, healthcare, price, health care, unitedhealthgroup, drug prices no full 8 8ebf4136-6913-4b02-a795-b75d2329e217 Q&A with OptumInsight CEO Rick Hardy, Part 2 In the last of a two-part interview, OptumInsight CEO Rick Hardy, discusses the evolution of the health care analytics industry, including growing interest from health care companies and technology companies alike -- as well as the biggest opportunities to use analytics and algorithms to streamline healthcare.

]]> Thu, 1 Jul 2021 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/qa-with-optuminsight-ceo-rick-hardy-part-2-ra48rUjm In the last of a two-part interview, OptumInsight CEO Rick Hardy, discusses the evolution of the health care analytics industry, including growing interest from health care companies and technology companies alike -- as well as the biggest opportunities to use analytics and algorithms to streamline healthcare.

]]> Q&A with OptumInsight CEO Rick Hardy, Part 2 UnitedHealth Group 00:11:58 Part two of a two-part interview with Rick Hardy, CEO of OptumInsight. Part two of a two-part interview with Rick Hardy, CEO of OptumInsight. unitedhealth group, analytics, unitedhealthcare, optuminsight, algorithms, healthcare, providers, health care no full 7 d1926fc9-c8cb-4227-8d1e-d6ea15ae4f44 Q&A with OptumInsight CEO Rick Hardy, Part 1 OptumInsight is one of many health care  and technology companies using analytics and algorithms to streamline health care. In the first of a two-part interview, OptumInsight CEO Rick Hardy joins the Weekly Dose Podcast to discuss talk about the growth of technology and analytics in the health care sector.

]]> Thu, 24 Jun 2021 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/qa-with-optuminsight-ceo-rick-hardy-part-1-ZvRd6AKR OptumInsight is one of many health care  and technology companies using analytics and algorithms to streamline health care. In the first of a two-part interview, OptumInsight CEO Rick Hardy joins the Weekly Dose Podcast to discuss talk about the growth of technology and analytics in the health care sector.

]]> Q&A with OptumInsight CEO Rick Hardy, Part 1 UnitedHealth Group 00:14:15 Part one of a two-part series on OptumInsight and the growth of technology and analytics in the healthcare industry, with CEO Rick Hardy. Part one of a two-part series on OptumInsight and the growth of technology and analytics in the healthcare industry, with CEO Rick Hardy. unitedhealth group, optum, analytics, healthcare, patient, payers, providers, physician no full 6 97f82442-c66d-480d-b0d4-7ea958b1bf78 How Health Care Fared Amid the Texas Cold Snap Last February, an unprecedented cold-snap hit Texas  – an event that was particularly impactful for vulnerable populations, including UnitedHealthcare members who were unable to evacuate their homes or access needed medical services. Marian Cabanillas, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Texas, looks back and offers lessons learned.

]]> Thu, 17 Jun 2021 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/how-health-care-fared-amid-the-texas-cold-snap-QiyN5h1Y Last February, an unprecedented cold-snap hit Texas  – an event that was particularly impactful for vulnerable populations, including UnitedHealthcare members who were unable to evacuate their homes or access needed medical services. Marian Cabanillas, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Texas, looks back and offers lessons learned.

]]> How Health Care Fared Amid the Texas Cold Snap UnitedHealth Group 00:12:18 Marian Cabanillas, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Texas, looks back at the record-breaking cold snap in her home state and its effect on vulnerable populations. Marian Cabanillas, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Texas, looks back at the record-breaking cold snap in her home state and its effect on vulnerable populations. freeze, unitedhealthcare, cold, health care, texas no full 5 0e8cab7d-bbc8-40dd-a70b-14ef23bc386e The Challenge of Quality Management in Health Care This week we’re profiling another UnitedHealth Group employee playing a critical role in the quest to improve health care. Ava Jones is a Director of Quality Management – but what does that mean? And why is the role so important to the future of health care?

]]> Thu, 10 Jun 2021 05:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/ava-jones-phd-YRUHjw_1 This week we’re profiling another UnitedHealth Group employee playing a critical role in the quest to improve health care. Ava Jones is a Director of Quality Management – but what does that mean? And why is the role so important to the future of health care?

]]> The Challenge of Quality Management in Health Care UnitedHealth Group 00:13:45 Ava Jones, PhD, RN, explains her role as a Director of Quality Management for UnitedHealthcare. Ava Jones, PhD, RN, explains her role as a Director of Quality Management for UnitedHealthcare. quality management, future of health care no full 4 7280f1d1-5256-4856-b462-75163c15631c The ACA's Special Enrollment Period This week we’re taking a closer look at recent changes to the ACA individual exchanges and what impact that is having on uninsured Americans. 1 million Americans have signed up for covers through the federal exchange during the first 10 weeks of a special enrollment period opened up by the Biden administration on February 15. Nearly half of those new enrollees purchase coverage after Congress passed legislation, adding billions in subsidies that reduced the average monthly premium from $117 to 86. The Biden administration has extended that special enrollment period until August 15, and is advocating to permanently extend those premium subsidies. 

]]> Thu, 27 May 2021 11:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/the-acas-special-enrollment-period-TagcjfvC This week we’re taking a closer look at recent changes to the ACA individual exchanges and what impact that is having on uninsured Americans. 1 million Americans have signed up for covers through the federal exchange during the first 10 weeks of a special enrollment period opened up by the Biden administration on February 15. Nearly half of those new enrollees purchase coverage after Congress passed legislation, adding billions in subsidies that reduced the average monthly premium from $117 to 86. The Biden administration has extended that special enrollment period until August 15, and is advocating to permanently extend those premium subsidies. 

]]> The ACA's Special Enrollment Period UnitedHealth Group 00:13:06 Krista Nelson, Chief Growth Officer for UnitedHealthcare Government Programs, discusses the impact of the ACA’s Special Enrollment Period on uninsured Americans. Krista Nelson, Chief Growth Officer for UnitedHealthcare Government Programs, discusses the impact of the ACA’s Special Enrollment Period on uninsured Americans. individual exchanges, uninsured americans, aca no full 3 98969c57-6f49-47c4-bdc2-fac0ba85a925 COVID-19 in Latin America This week, we’re focusing on the impact of COVID-19 globally, including Latin America, where the virus has researched in recent weeks, impacting health systems in a number of countries including Brazil, Chile, Peru and Colombia, where UnitedHealthcare operates. 2020 was particularly challenging for Latin America.

]]> Thu, 20 May 2021 11:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/covid-19-in-latin-america-xrtnJLC6 This week, we’re focusing on the impact of COVID-19 globally, including Latin America, where the virus has researched in recent weeks, impacting health systems in a number of countries including Brazil, Chile, Peru and Colombia, where UnitedHealthcare operates. 2020 was particularly challenging for Latin America.

]]> COVID-19 in Latin America UnitedHealth Group 00:13:11 Amy Shaw, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Global, discusses the impact of COVID-19 in Latin America. Amy Shaw, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Global, discusses the impact of COVID-19 in Latin America. covid-19, peru, latin america, brazil, chile, colombia no full 2 463ed1c4-bf41-47c6-b52d-d918f623fe62 Consumer Health Care Engagement Trends for 2021 COVID-19 has had an outsized influence on the health plan Americans intend to select during open enrollment, according to the new UHC Consumer Sentiment Survey. Meanwhile, the majority of Americans surveyed say they are interested in using a smartphone or laptop to access medical services.

The fifth-annual UnitedHealthcare Consumer Sentiment Survey examines Americans’ attitudes and opinions about multiple areas of health care, including open enrollment preparedness, technology trends and health plan preferences.

By the numbers:

  • 44% said COVID-19 has influenced – or will influence – their preferred health plan choice. Gen-Z were the most likely to be influenced (68%), compared to Baby Boomers (29%).  
  • A survey-record 56% said they are interested in using digital devices, such as smartphones, tablets or laptops, to access care. 55% said they had used the internet or mobile apps to comparison shop for health care during the past year. One-quarter use online or mobile resources as the first option to evaluate health issues or symptoms.  
  • When it comes to specialty benefits, most respondents (84%) said it was important to have vision and dental coverage options during open enrollment.
]]> Thu, 14 Jan 2021 14:00:00 +0000 UHGPodcastTeam@uhc.com (UnitedHealth Group) https://weeklydose.uhg.com/episodes/consumer-health-care-engagement-trends-for-2021-NpEmNolG COVID-19 has had an outsized influence on the health plan Americans intend to select during open enrollment, according to the new UHC Consumer Sentiment Survey. Meanwhile, the majority of Americans surveyed say they are interested in using a smartphone or laptop to access medical services.

The fifth-annual UnitedHealthcare Consumer Sentiment Survey examines Americans’ attitudes and opinions about multiple areas of health care, including open enrollment preparedness, technology trends and health plan preferences.

By the numbers:

  • 44% said COVID-19 has influenced – or will influence – their preferred health plan choice. Gen-Z were the most likely to be influenced (68%), compared to Baby Boomers (29%).  
  • A survey-record 56% said they are interested in using digital devices, such as smartphones, tablets or laptops, to access care. 55% said they had used the internet or mobile apps to comparison shop for health care during the past year. One-quarter use online or mobile resources as the first option to evaluate health issues or symptoms.  
  • When it comes to specialty benefits, most respondents (84%) said it was important to have vision and dental coverage options during open enrollment.
]]> Consumer Health Care Engagement Trends for 2021 UnitedHealth Group 00:14:46 Rebecca Madsen, Chief Consumer Officer for UnitedHealthcare, breaks down the 2021 Consumer Health Care Engagement Trends survey. Rebecca Madsen, Chief Consumer Officer for UnitedHealthcare, breaks down the 2021 Consumer Health Care Engagement Trends survey. covid-19, health, consumer, health care no full 1