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UnitedHealth (UNH) Unit Launches Plan, Boosts Arizona Presence

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UnitedHealth Group Incorporated’s (UNH - Free Report) business, UnitedHealthcare, recently unveiled a health plan named The Doctors Plan of Arizona in a bid to benefit individuals availing employer-sponsored health coverage in Maricopa and Pinal counties of Arizona.

Shares of UnitedHealth Group gained 0.4% on Dec 2.

The new plan aims to offer access to seamless, cost-effective and personalized health care for consumers residing in two of the abovementioned Arizona counties. This is likely to result in better health outcomes for the state’s residents. Apart from receiving quality care, customers availing the plan can earn up to 15% savings on premiums from what they had to pay when opting for a traditional PPO offering.

Simultaneously, UnitedHealthcare also joined forces with Banner Health Network, which is an innovative leader of new health care models and the accountable care organization of one of the leading health care providers of Arizona — Banner Health. The Doctors Plan of Arizona offers customers access to more than 5,000 physicians and 15 medical centers that are part of the Banner Health Network.

The latest move reflects UnitedHealth Group’s sincere efforts to expand access to vital health care and help residents nationwide lead a healthy life. The recently launched plan is expected to bolster UNH’s presence across Arizona. Banner Health Network seems to be the apt partner for complementing UnitedHealth Group’s endeavor since it boasts of a broad network of primary care and specialty physicians offering comprehensive health care solutions across Maricopa County and specific parts of Pinal County.

Initiatives similar to the latest one underscore the evolution of the health care system. These moves are aimed at reducing the otherwise exorbitant costs and bringing about better health outcomes for patients at the same time. As a result, health care providers are collaborating with care providers for delivering sound care. UnitedHealth Group has been no exception to the trend. The Doctors Plan of Arizona marks the third such plan of UnitedHealthcare.

Earlier in 2020, UnitedHealthcare joined forces with Canopy Health to unveil the California Doctors Plan. UNH launched the Colorado Doctors Plan by collaborating with Centura Health in 2019.

The UnitedHealthcare unit of UnitedHealth Group keeps on undertaking a plethora of initiatives to offer patient-focused care across communities it serves. In November 2021, the same unit of UNH offered an integrated health benefit plan in a bid to offer better health outcomes for eligible members in Massachusetts, who qualify for both Medicare and MassHealth. Sound segmental revenues not only contributed 77.9% to the UnitedHealth Group’s total revenues in the first nine months of 2021 but also rose 11% in the same time frame from the prior-year comparable period.

UnitedHealth Group boasts of robust Medicare and Medicaid businesses through which it has been devising cost-effective health plans and reaching out to various parts of the nation. Several contract wins and renewals have only reinforced the credibility of the Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) diversified health care company’s services.

Similar to UnitedHealth Group, other players in the medical space such as Humana Inc. (HUM - Free Report) , Cigna Corporation (CI - Free Report) and Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC - Free Report) also partners with well-established care providers for catering to the diversified health care needs of people.

Humana continues to pursue collaborations with physicians and well-established health care providers to deliver enhanced care to patients. These initiatives have enabled HUM to boost its nationwide footprint, bolstered membership growth and helped delve into underserved areas. Humana teamed up with Allina Health and Hutchinson Clinic in November 2021 for including additional members within its value-based relationships.

Cigna has teamed up and expanded contracts with several health care systems for driving its partner networks and ensuring uninterrupted health care services across several regions of the United States. This has bolstered CI’s solutions and capabilities, and allowed it to strengthen nationwide footprint. In October 2021, Cigna collaborated with Mary Washington Health Alliance for ensuring continued access to the latter’s health care network.

Acadia Healthcare inks joint ventures (JVs) through which it collaborates with premier health systems. These initiatives have been adding facilities, beds and hospitals to the health care provider’s network. ACHC has a robust pipeline of JV projects in place and the year 2022 is likely to be its strongest year with respect to JVs. In December 2021, Acadia Healthcare formed a JV with Florida-based not-for-profit healthcare organization, Orlando Health, for offering much-needed health care services throughout Orlando and the neighboring communities.

Shares of UnitedHealth Group have gained 27.5% over a year compared with the industry’s rally of 22%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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While shares of Humana and Acadia Healthcare have gained 2.1% and 33.3%, respectively, in a year, Cigna's stock has lost 9.2% in the same time frame.

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