UNITEDHEALTH GROUP INC. UnitedHealth Group, in its newly released 2023 Sustainability Report, details progress in helping people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone. The report also shares progress UnitedHealth Group continues to make on its long-term commitments to reducing its carbon footprint.
The 2023 report details our efforts to help build a modern, high-performing health system focused on a value-based system that rewards comprehensive and proactive care. The report shares stories like that of Marie Kharifene, a community volunteer coordinator at WellMed who visits the homes of patients in the greater Houston area recently discharged from the hospital. Each day, Marie helps patients connect to necessary follow-up care, one of several ways UnitedHealth Group is working to close 600 million gaps in care by the end of 2025; in 2023 alone, the company closed more than 148 million gaps in care.
It highlights UnitedHealth Group's commitment to building healthier communities. Since 2011, UnitedHealth Group has invested more than $1 billion in affordable housing. These investments - made using Low-Income Housing Investment Tax Credits (LIHTC), Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) loans, and direct investments by the company - have helped create 25,000 homes for individuals and families facing housing insecurity. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, when households struggle to pay the rent, they have a higher risk for negative health outcomes. High housing costs can force them to make difficult choices between paying rent and paying for medicine, food, heating, transportation and other essentials.
The report also highlights people like Andres Ramos, one of more than 1,300 individuals in 2023 who received financial support from the United Health Foundation Diversity in Health Care Scholarship program. Andres, who is currently pursuing a medical degree, hopes to serve Native American communities as an orthopedic surgeon. The program is part of the United Health Foundation's commitment of $100 million over 10 years to help build a diverse health care workforce by providing scholarships and support to 10,000 current and future clinicians by 2033.
Additionally, it details ongoing efforts to deliver a best-in-class consumer experience, including via innovative benefits options from UnitedHealthcare like Surest, which features no deductibles and zero coinsurance. The plan also helps people clearly and easily compare care providers and facilities based on quality and value through a user-friendly digital experience. Overall, UnitedHealth Group continues to empower health care consumers and work to fundamentally change the way people engage with the health system by meeting expectations for greater simplicity, connectivity and transparency in health care.
Recognizing the impact climate change has on human health, UnitedHealth Group is working to minimize the company's footprint to help people live healthier lives. Importantly, UnitedHealth Group in 2023 made its first ever virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA). Its portion of the renewable energy project - 250 MWs - is expected to power the equivalent of nearly 54,000 U.S. homes for a year.
Creating a responsible, resilient health system prepared for the future is the most important role UnitedHealth Group can play. A focus on the environment can help lead to transformational changes in efficiency, effectiveness and responsible use of resources.
2023 Sustainability Report
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UnitedHealth Group Inc. published this content on 16 May 2024 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 16 May 2024 12:19:10 UTC.
