UnitedHealthcare: A brief introduction
UnitedHealthcare is a health benefits business or health insurance company that is part of UnitedHealth Group. It offers several health benefit programs to meet the health needs of individuals, employers, retirees and their families, military personnel, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries living in the United States.
UnitedHealthcare currently works with over 1.3 million physicians and healthcare professionals and nearly 6,700 hospitals and other healthcare centers in the United States.
UnitedHealthcare’s LGBTQ+ resources and benefits
Inclusivity in healthcare is necessary to improve the access and quality of care provided to all individuals. Often, members of the LGBTQ+ community are either refused care or do not wish to see a provider due to negative experiences with prejudiced medical staff (including nurses, case managers, medical assistants, and doctors) and lack of knowledge of the needs of LGBTQ+ members. These barriers to care affect their willingness to seek health care and can, therefore, lead to poor health outcomes.
UnitedHealthcare supports the LGBTQ+ community and offers resources and inclusive services such as specially trained advocates, an LGBTQ+ supportive provider search, gender-affirming care, and more.
Some resources and benefits include:
- Trained UnitedHealthcare Advocates who can help patients with benefit questions, finding or scheduling appointments, and claim information and authorization.
- Benefits for plan members and eligible dependents, including spouses, domestic partners, and children.
- HIV prevention services like HIV screenings, PrEP medications, PEP medicine, and HIV treatment.
- Gender-affirming care like breast surgery, genital surgery, hormone therapy, voice modification therapy, voice modification surgery, and more.
- Family planning options include surrogacy, adoption, and fertility preservation services like egg retrieval or sperm collection, cryopreservation, and storage for 12 months.
- Behavioral health support for stress, anxiety, depression, traumatic events, bipolar disorders, and other mental health issues.
What is the Health Insurance Marketplace, and how does it help people get coverage?
The Health Insurance Marketplace is a platform—available online, by phone, or in person—that helps individuals select and enroll in health insurance plans. Healthcare.gov is the federal Marketplace, but 12 states operate their state-run Marketplaces. Residents of those states must use their specific state platform instead of Healthcare.gov to enroll.
How are healthcare providers paid under the fee-for-service model?
Fee-for-service is a traditional payment model where healthcare providers are paid individually for each treatment, test, or service they offer. This differs from newer models, such as those used by Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), where payments are often based on outcomes and efficiency rather than the volume of services.
How does a flexible spending account (FSA) help with healthcare costs?
A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is a pre-tax account that you can use to pay for eligible out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, including deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and prescription drugs. Contributions to an FSA lower your taxable income, helping you save money. However, funds in an FSA—capped at $2,700 in 2019—generally expire at the end of the calendar year and do not roll over if you change jobs. It’s a “use it or lose it” system, unlike a Health Savings Account (HSA), which may allow rollovers.
What does guaranteed issue mean in the context of health insurance?
Guaranteed issue is a federal regulation that ensures you can enroll in an insurance plan irrespective of your health condition, age, or gender. However, while insurers must offer coverage, this rule does not control how much they can charge, except for ACA-compliant plans, which limit pricing differences for people with preexisting conditions.
What are essential health benefits, and why are they important in health insurance plans?
Essential health benefits refer to medical services covered by all health insurance plans to comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Federal law outlines these benefits, though some states may require even broader coverage.
These essential services include hospitalization, emergency services, outpatient care (also called ambulatory care), mental health and substance use treatment, prescription drugs, maternity and newborn care, birth control, and pediatric dental care.
Who is an OB-GYN, and why should you visit one?
OB-GYNs (obstetricians and gynecologists) are medical doctors (M.Ds or D.Os) in two medical disciplines- obstetrics and gynecology. Obstetrics involves the surgical and medical care given to women before, after, and during pregnancy. It includes fertility treatments, prenatal care, treating pregnancy complications, postpartum care, and assistance with labor and delivery. Gynecology involves preventive care and treatment for diseases of the female reproductive system, including the uterus, vagina, cervix, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. Gynecologists see through a woman's care from puberty until menopause and beyond. Further, they also offer general diet and lifestyle advice and mental healthcare.
If you don't have an OB-GYN yet, you can begin your search for one who takes your insurance. For example, you can look up OB-GYNs who take UnitedHealthcare on Zocdoc.
Here's why you should visit a UnitedHealthcare OB-GYN near you:
- If you are struggling with puberty and have concerns like severe acne and unwanted hair growth, an OB-GYN can offer treatments.
- If you need preventive screenings like breast and cervical cancer tests.
- OB-GYNs educate patients on safe sex practices and help them understand what it means to be in a consensual relationship.
- If you want to get screened for STIs (sexually transmitted infections). Your OB-GYN will also help you lower your risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and recommend preventative vaccines like the HPV vaccine.
- If you want to learn what is expected and abnormal during your period, if you have irregular periods, if you haven't got your period yet, or if you want to know how to relieve painful cramps, why your periods are too heavy, and how to deal with premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
- If you wish to discuss the ideal time to start a family and your options for conceiving, birth control or contraception options, labor and birthing options, genetic testing, and screenings.
- If you are figuring out your gender identity, are a part of the LGBTQ+ community, or wish to explore a transition, an OB-GYN can provide medications and other resources.
Does UnitedHealthcare have any maternity programs?
UnitedHealthcare offers various pregnancy resources for individuals, employers, and community plan members. UnitedHealthcare community plan members can access maternity programs like Healthy First Steps and WellHop for Mom and Baby.
The Healthy First Steps program includes a staff of social workers, nurses as well as health educators who help you find a doctor, set up doctor visits after your child is born, arrange prenatal visits, assist with transportation, and make home visits after you have your baby. Further, the program will help patients with information on food stamps, breastfeeding, baby items, child care, nutrition, sexual health, and family planning. You will also learn how to get help if you and your children don't feel safe. UnitedHealthcare has staff who can help you get safe housing and support.
How do you find a UnitedHealthcare OB-GYN near you in Chicago, IL?
Having a trusted OB-GYN can help you get accurate answers to questions concerning your reproductive health, mental well-being, pregnancy care, or family planning. Further, OB-GYNs can help you distinguish between facts and myths surrounding your reproductive health and provide realistic solutions based on your age, preferences, and background.
On Zocdoc, you can easily book a virtual or in-person appointment with an OB-GYN in your area or neighborhood from the comfort of your home. All you have to do is visit the Zocdoc website and enter your location (in this case, Chicago), condition or symptoms, and insurance plan (UnitedHealthcare). Then, filter the displayed results by the time of day, gender, hospital affiliation, whether the doctor treats children, and spoken languages. To help you make an informed choice, Zocdoc lists each provider's medical background, including awards and certifications.
You're in luck if you're specifically looking for an OB-GYN in your network! Zocdoc's extensive list of providers accepts various insurance carriers. To see which providers accept your insurance, select your carrier and plan in the drop-down menu at the top of the page or directly search for your carrier. For example, you may search for an OB-GYN who takes UnitedHealthcare in Chicago, IL.
If you cannot see your insurance plan listed on Zocdoc, upload your medical insurance card and allow Zocdoc to scan the image of your card. You should then see a plan that best matches your card. Note that this is only applicable to medical insurance cards; it excludes dental and vision insurance. If you need assistance uploading your card or have other unanswered questions, contact Zocdoc's service team. You can also visit Zocdoc's patient help center for insurance-related information.
If you're new to insurance and need help understanding technical and confusing jargon, read Zocdoc's Health Insurance 101 guide.
Booking in-person or online appointments with a UnitedHealthcare OB-GYN near you on Zocdoc is fast, free, and secure!
Maternal health and health insurance in Chicago and Illinois
According to a 2023 Illinois Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Report, among the live births that occurred in Illinois from 2010 to 2020, maternal obesity increased 33% (from 23.7% in 2010 to 31.6% in 2020), maternal hypertension increased 103% (from 6.1% in 2010 to 12.5% in 2020), and maternal diabetes increased 68% (from 6.0% in 2010 to 10.1% in 2020). During 2018-2020, an average of 1,151 women in Illinois experienced severe maternal morbidity each year during childbirth. Severe bleeding (48%), breathing Issues (14%), and kidney failure (20%) were the most common categories of severe maternal morbidity complications. Further, severe maternal morbidity (SMM) rates were higher among women who got no or inadequate prenatal care and had severe obesity, hypertension, a mental health condition, diabetes, or a substance use disorder. From 2018-2020, pregnancy-related mortality was the highest for residents of urban counties outside Chicago and rural counties.
According to one-year American Community Survey (ACS) estimates collated by the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2022, 1,250,204 or 91.7% of the total female population in Chicago City had health insurance. Approximately 113,365, or 8.3% of women, did not have health insurance. The age group of 45 to 54 had the highest number of women (24,116) with no insurance coverage.
How many people in Chicago and Illinois benefit from UnitedHealthcare?
UnitedHealthcare currently serves approximately 1,472,000 members, including employers, employees, and families, within the communities of Illinois. Nearly 56,000 providers are available in the UnitedHealthcare network to meet member needs.
Sources
National Association of Counties
UnitedHealthcare[1]
UnitedHealthcare[2]
UnitedHealthcare[3]
UnitedHealthcare[4]
UnitedHealthcare[5]
UnitedHealthcare[6]
National LGBT Health Education Center
Healthline
WebMD
Penn Medicine
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists[1]
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists[2]
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists[3]
United States Census Bureau[1]
United States Census Bureau[2]
Illinois Department of Public Health
Cancer Statistics Center
