UnitedHealth Group is accelerating nearly $2 billion in payments and financial support to U.S. healthcare providers through its UnitedHealthcare and Optum subsidiaries, according to an April 7 announcement.
What you should know:
1. The accelerated claim payments for medical and behavioral care providers apply to UnitedHealthcare's fully insured commercial, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid businesses.
2. UnitedHealth Group's financial support includes $125 million in small business loans for Optum Health's partnered clinical operators.
3. UnitedHealth Group has also suspended prior authorization requirements for post-acute care settings and for when members change providers.
4. For Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and individual and group market health plans, the payer extended timely filing deadlines for claims during the COVID-19 public health emergency period.
5. In addition, UnitedHealth Group implemented provisional credentialing to remove barriers to network participation for out-of-network independent practitioners.
6. In a prepared statement, HCA Healthcare CEO Sam Hazen applauded UnitedHealthcare's actions. Mr. Hazen said the relaxed rules will mitigate hardship for providers handling the costs of COVID-19 relief efforts.