UnitedHealthcare introduces new business unit Surest

MINNETONKA, Minn. (Aug. 11, 2022) — UnitedHealthcare’s Surest offers a new approach to health benefits that removes deductibles and provides clear upfront pricing information to people in advance of treatment. Surest, introduced initially in 2016 as Bind, has the fastest growth rate among UnitedHealthcare’s employer-sponsored plans.

UnitedHealthcare offers Surest to employers nationwide with self-funded health plans. Surest plans are also offered to UnitedHealthcare fully insured customers with 51 or more employees in 11 states (Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia), with intent to add up to five additional states by the end of 2022.

Over 150 employers are using a Surest plan today, including a growing number that are adding Surest as an option for the 2023 enrollment season this fall.

“People and employers are looking for a simpler and more sustainable health care plan,” said Alison Richards, CEO, Surest. “Our new brand name, Surest, helps convey the idea of clarity, confidence and control our members have with their plan.”

Key features of Surest plans include:

No deductibles or coinsurance: Offering clear and transparent health care quality and cost data presented in the Surest app, Surest plans help remove financial barriers to care and make it easier for members to understand both their coverage and cost before receiving care or making an appointment. Surest members more frequently accessed high-value and more convenient care, including a 10X increase in virtual visit use², and were less likely to use low-value care (6% fewer emergency department visits¹). More than half the time, Surest members selected high-quality health care providers with the lowest price for procedures such as hip replacement or reflux surgery.

Upfront prices: Surest plans enable members to review single, all-in prices for more than 490 services before receiving care. Based on data-driven results, members may be able to pay less out of pocket and receive more effective treatments from quality care providers, as determined by national standardized measures. Access to clear, upfront prices can help people avoid multiple or surprise bills.

Designed for improved satisfaction and more affordable premiums: Among people enrolled in a Surest plan, the Net Promoter Score® – a key measure of consumer satisfaction – was significantly higher than industry benchmarks.¹ For employers that introduced Surest plans, costs were up to 15% less per member per month compared to high-deductible health plans, while out-of-pocket costs for members were 44% less.