UnitedHealthcare Oxford- A brief history and introduction
UnitedHealthcare is part of UnitedHealth Group, a health benefits business or health insurance company that offers a full spectrum of health benefit programs to individuals, employers, retirees and their families, military service members, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries residing in the United States. UnitedHealthcare contracts with over a million physicians, healthcare professionals, and nearly 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. In 2004, Oxford Health Plans, Inc. and UnitedHealthcare decided to merge and offer health benefits like dental, vision, and life insurance.
What plans and benefits does the Oxford Benefit Management include?
Oxford Benefit Management℠ is the distribution company for products by UnitedHealthcare and OptumHealth. Some plans that employers can offer include- OBM Basic Specialty Option, OBM Preferred Specialty Option, OBM Voluntary Specialty Option, and more.
Some benefits include:
- Dental- OBM members can avail themselves of services like oral cancer screening and prenatal dental care, as well as the option to add extra cleanings, white fillings, and dental implants. The OBM also provides members access to a network of 100,000 dentists and specialists. It also includes optional rewards programs and rewards employees who get routine dental care.
- Vision- Includes frame allowances, standard scratch-resistant coating, covered-in-full contact lenses, and additional maternity and pediatric vision benefits. Benefits may also include discounts on popular contact lens brands, laser vision correction, nonprescription sunglasses, and hearing aids from UnitedHealthcare Hearing.
- Life- Pays a lump-sum cash benefit directly to an employee's beneficiary in the event of death and provides additional coverage for loss of life or dismemberment within 90 days of an accident.
- Disability- Pays employee benefits when they cannot work due to an illness or injury.
How many people have UnitedHealthcare Oxford plans benefitted in the United States?
For over 35 years, UnitedHealthcare Oxford plans have served populations in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut tri-state area. According to an internal analysis conducted by UnitedHealthcare in February 2022, an estimated 845,000 medical members have received Oxford health benefits and coverage services.
According to a Network Report (December 2020), the Oxford Freedom Network includes over 124,000 physicians and healthcare providers across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut (including dental, behavioral health practitioners, and complementary and alternative medicine providers). The Liberty Network (with over 119,000 providers) and the Metro Network ( with over 81,000 providers) also serve the same areas. Oxford Freedom Network members also have access to approximately 67,000 pharmacies nationwide and 6,126 hospitals. In 2021, a UnitedHealthcare Advocate4Me performance report showed that members and employers saved more than $72 million through engagement.
What is an Association health plan (AHP)?
An Association health plan (AHP), a group membership-sponsored health plan, allows individuals to join based on profession or affiliation to access group health insurance rates. These plans offer discounted coverage to those without employer-sponsored health insurance, including self-employed individuals and freelance workers. Organizations such as the Writers Guild of America and the Freelancers Union provide their members with access to these plans.
In 2018, the Trump administration introduced new regulations to expand AHP eligibility, allowing individuals to qualify based solely on geographic location or shared business interests. While this aims to make it easier for small businesses to participate, AHP insurers need not cover the 10 essential health benefits mentioned/mandated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). As a result, employees of small businesses may receive less comprehensive coverage at a higher cost than ACA-compliant plans.
What is a deductible in health insurance?
A deductible is the total amount you must pay out of pocket for covered medical services before your insurance begins to cover costs. Typically, health plans with smaller monthly premiums have higher deductibles, while those with higher premiums have lower deductibles.
Example 1: If your plan has a $500 deductible and a doctor charges you $350 for a procedure, you must pay the complete $350. If you later undergo another procedure costing $700, you will pay $150 out of pocket (along with any required copay or coinsurance). Your insurance will cover the remaining balance once you meet the $500 deductible.
Example 2: If your plan has a $1,000 deductible and you receive a $3,000 medical procedure, you must pay the first $1,000 (plus any applicable copay or coinsurance), and your insurance will cover the rest.
Many insurance plans cover certain services, such as preventive checkups and chronic disease management programs, even if you haven't met your deductible.
What are essential health benefits?
Essential health benefits are medical services that all health insurance plans must cover within the Affordable Care Act (ACA). While the federal law sets these benefits, some states may require additional coverage beyond the minimum federal standards.
These essential services include hospital care, emergency care, outpatient doctor visits, mental health and substance abuse treatment, prescription drugs, pregnancy and childbirth, birth control, and pediatric dental care.
Who is a psychiatrist, and what conditions do they treat?
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can prevent, diagnose, and treat various mental health problems. Like conventional doctors, psychiatrists also complete a medical degree. They must then complete a residency program to gain clinical patient treatment experience. Following the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5), psychiatrists treat a wide range of mental, developmental, and behavioral disorders.
Some include-
- Alcohol use disorder
- Substance use disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Dissociative disorders
- Eating disorders
- Mood disorders like depression
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
- Panic disorder
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Postpartum depression
- Schizophrenia
- Sleep disorders
In addition to ordering diagnostic tests and evaluating patients, psychiatrists use a variety of treatments to help patients. They may recommend one or a combination of treatments like- medication, psychotherapy or talk therapy, electric convulsive treatment, light therapy, deep brain stimulation, and more.
There are many different types of mental health providers. Each provider has varying educational qualifications and scope of treatment. If you are unsure about which one to choose, you may consult your primary care physician first, who can refer you to a psychologist, psychotherapist, or psychiatrist near you.
Does a psychiatrist UnitedHealthcare Oxford near you cover mental health?
Members can avail themselves of Oxford's Behavioral Health Solutions and speak to a mental health professional online through their Oxford Network through liveandworkwell.com. Behavioral Health benefits include counseling and substance abuse recovery services. Patients can find care for conditions like-
- Depression
- Anxiety and stress
- Alcohol abuse and drug abuse
- Anger management
- Coping with grief and loss
- Marital problems
- Domestic violence
- Eating disorders
- Compulsive spending or gambling
Through Live and Work Well, patients can get 24-hour confidential care and access to suicide prevention sources, support for substance abuse, and other mental health services.
Find a psychiatrist UnitedHealthcare Oxford near you in the United States
Good mental health is essential to maintain good physical health. Some mental health conditions can lead to physical conditions, and conversely, some physical conditions may also result in poor mental health. Zocdoc helps patients all over the United States find qualified doctors and other healthcare professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychotherapists, who match their needs and preferences.
To book an in-person or online consultation, visit the Zocdoc website and enter your condition or symptoms, location, and insurance plan. Then, browse the list of top-rated psychiatrists in your area. You can also narrow the results based on gender, time of day, hospital affiliation, languages spoken, distance, and whether a provider treats children.
Further, finding an in-network provider can help you get long-term and consistent care while saving on future medical costs. On Zocdoc, you can select your insurance carrier and plan in the drop-down menu at the top of the page to locate psychiatrists who are in-network providers.
For example, you can specifically search for a psychiatrist near you accepting UnitedHealthcare Oxford. If you need help figuring out your exact health plan, take the help of Zocdoc's insurance checker. If you wish to buy health insurance and don't know where to start, you can understand the basics and commonly used jargon by referring to Zocdoc's Health Insurance 101 guide.
Booking appointments with a psychiatrist UnitedHealthcare Oxford near you on Zocdoc is fast, free, and secure!
The state of mental Health in the United States
A 2023 Mental Health America report collected data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, the Department of Education (DoE), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This data showed that over 21%, equivalent to approximately 50 million American adults, were experiencing some form of mental illness. Nearly 55% of adults (28 million people) with mental illness had not received any treatment.
In the United States, there are 350 individuals for every mental health provider. Mental health providers include psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, licensed clinical social workers, advanced practice nurses (APRNs) specializing in mental health care, and marriage and family therapists. In June 2022, 152 million individuals lived in mental health workforce shortage areas. Mental health providers met roughly 28% of the mental health needs in shortage areas.
The report also shows that over 5.5 million adults with mental illness were uninsured, and nearly 1.2 million youth did not have any coverage for mental or emotional difficulties. Further, about 22.87% of adults reported experiencing 14 or more mentally unhealthy days each month. These individuals were not able to see a doctor due to high costs.
Sources
Connecticut General Assembly
WebMD[1]
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Cleveland Clinic[1]
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Cleveland Clinic[3]
American Psychiatric Association
UnitedHealthcare[1]
UnitedHealthcare[2]
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UnitedHealthcare[4]
UnitedHealthcare[5]
UnitedHealthcare[6]
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UnitedHealthcare[8]
UnitedHealth Group
Mental Health America
liveandworkwell.com
