UnitedHealthcare News

10/11/2003

IN FOCUS: UNDERSTANDING HEALTH CARE

DEVELOPMENTS IN DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Today more than half of total health care costs can be attributed to approximately 20 percent of the population, according research conducted by HealthLeaders News. And, according to Watson Wyatt, about 30 percent of employers' health care dollars are spent treating chronic conditions that afflict about 5 percent of employees. Employers looking for ways to manage rising health care costs increasingly are turning to disease management programs to help those employees responsible for the bulk of the costs to become healthier and more productive.

IN ADDITION

UNITEDHEALTHCARE'S HOLISTIC APPROACH TO DISEASE MANAGEMENT

UnitedHealthcare strongly believes in helping physicians and individuals manage the care of the whole person, which is why our Disease Management Program is an integrated part of our Care CoordinationSM approach. This approach allows us to integrate outreach, education and intervention plans across multiple conditions. UnitedHealthcare's services are more broadly available to individuals than many traditional disease management programs, yet are appropriately focused on the individuals most in need.

IN DETAIL

SPECIALIZED NETWORKS: ENHANCING CARE WHILE REDUCING CLAIMS COSTS

Patients suffering from serious or long-term illnesses have complex health care needs that can be overwhelming and difficult to manage. Obtaining care from a facility and a physician that specializes in the treatment of a particular disease is often crucial to the successful treatment of a serious illness. However, patients and their families can find it challenging to find qualified physician, and may not know where to turn for specialized care.

IN BRIEF

UNITEDHEALTHCARE OFFERS WEIGHT MANAGEMENT SUPPORT

Obesity is the fastest-growing disease in the United States, and weight-related costs are adding $12 billion per year to costs of employers nationwide, says The Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity, a group organized by the Washington Business Group on Health. Today more and more employers are realizing the potential benefits of helping their employees maintain a healthy weight, and in fact, a group of large employers headed by Ford Motor, Honeywell, General Mills and PepsiCo recently announced a campaign to encourage overweight workers to slim down as way to improve personal health and reduce health care costs.