UnitedHealthcare delays start date of new policy
The start date for its new policy to reject claims for non-emergency visits to ER has been delayed
Just last week the company announced the move to reject non-emergency claims, which was met with criticism from health experts and has now been put back until the end of the pandemic.
"Based on feedback from our provider partners and discussions with medical societies, we have decided to delay the implementation of our emergency department policy until at least the end of the national public health emergency period," a spokesperson told Yahoo Finance.
What does it cost the industry?
Experts agree that the overreliance on ER is a huge cost to the industry with United Healthcare (UHN) putting it at US$32 billion every year.
"The emergency door is the most expensive entrance into the hospital, any hospital," health expert Michellene Davis told Yahoo Finance.
"Unnecessary use of the emergency room costs nearly $32 billion annually, driving up health care costs for everyone," a UnitedHealthcare spokesperson told Yahoo Finance.
One solution to this problem has been telehealth but the overuse of emergency rooms is still a factor when patients are looking for help or advice out of hours.
In March 2021, the company entered the Netherlands market with its global BeHealthy expatriate insurance plans. The move is providing access to internationally recognised health, wellness, assistance and security programmes for local business.
BeHealthy focuses on a whole-person approach to wellbeing, helping to identify health risks before they happen. The plans offer globally mobile employees a personalised digital experience that inspires and motivates healthier habits. This helps them better manage their international assignments by prioritising their mental, emotional and physical health.