UnitedHealthcare and its parent company UnitedHealth Group have been working to facilitate discussion addressing the issue of the uninsured in America.
UnitedHealth Group and its Chairman and CEO William McGuire, M.D. are pursuing a number of initiatives to help the process of defining and creating a package of essential health care benefits for all Americans.
Recently, Dr. McGuire wrote a letter to every member of Congress calling on the federal government for participation and leadership in this initiative. The goal is to get the attention of lawmakers and establish this issue as a centerpiece of American health care policy.
In last year's UnitedHealth Group annual report, Dr. McGuire wrote, “In health care, we use far too many resources, and we use them inefficiently. This waste of precious and limited health care resources may be our nation’s most serious health issue.”
Health care policy groups like the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute of Health can provide research on the latest evidence-based procedures that will be a key to implementing a basic benefits package.
Through facilitation of dialogue among key industry scholars and groups, both public and private, UnitedHealth Group aims to gain consensus on the key components of a basic health benefits package that include the appropriate, evidence-based mix of preventive care, screening and early diagnostic treatment, acute care, chronic care and restorative services.
The goal of essential health care for all Americans is a challenge, but obtainable. The result should be a more efficient health care system that is based on science and evidence and one that can function more effectively to lessen suffering, improve outcomes, and use resources efficiently.
