Les Masterson is a deputy editor and insurance analyst at Forbes Advisor. He has been a journalist, reporter, editor and content creator for more than 25 years. He has covered insurance for a decade, including auto, home, life and health. Before cove.
Les Masterson Deputy Editor, InsuranceLes Masterson is a deputy editor and insurance analyst at Forbes Advisor. He has been a journalist, reporter, editor and content creator for more than 25 years. He has covered insurance for a decade, including auto, home, life and health. Before cove.
Written By Les Masterson Deputy Editor, InsuranceLes Masterson is a deputy editor and insurance analyst at Forbes Advisor. He has been a journalist, reporter, editor and content creator for more than 25 years. He has covered insurance for a decade, including auto, home, life and health. Before cove.
Les Masterson Deputy Editor, InsuranceLes Masterson is a deputy editor and insurance analyst at Forbes Advisor. He has been a journalist, reporter, editor and content creator for more than 25 years. He has covered insurance for a decade, including auto, home, life and health. Before cove.
Deputy Editor, Insurance Penny Gusner Insurance Writer and AnalystPenny Gusner is a senior insurance writer and analyst at Forbes Advisor. For more than 20 years, she has been helping consumers learn how insurance laws, data, trends, and coverages affect them. Penny enjoys translating the complexities of insurance.
Penny Gusner Insurance Writer and AnalystPenny Gusner is a senior insurance writer and analyst at Forbes Advisor. For more than 20 years, she has been helping consumers learn how insurance laws, data, trends, and coverages affect them. Penny enjoys translating the complexities of insurance.
Penny Gusner Insurance Writer and AnalystPenny Gusner is a senior insurance writer and analyst at Forbes Advisor. For more than 20 years, she has been helping consumers learn how insurance laws, data, trends, and coverages affect them. Penny enjoys translating the complexities of insurance.
Penny Gusner Insurance Writer and AnalystPenny Gusner is a senior insurance writer and analyst at Forbes Advisor. For more than 20 years, she has been helping consumers learn how insurance laws, data, trends, and coverages affect them. Penny enjoys translating the complexities of insurance.
| Insurance Writer and Analyst
Updated: Sep 4, 2024, 4:35pm
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We like UnitedHealthcare because it has one of the lowest average silver plan deductibles compared to other insurers, better-than-average NCQA quality ratings and slightly lower-than-average complaints to state insurance departments. The lower complaint level can signify customer satisfaction.
Our star ratings are based on a range of criteria and are determined solely by our editorial team. See our methodology for more information.
Provider network 1.5 million providers and 7,000 hospitals and facilities. Average silver plan cost for 40-year-old $551 a month Average deductible for a silver plan $3,619 a yearKey Takeaways
How We Chose the Best Health Insurance Companies
We analyzed complaints to state insurance departments, quality ratings, deductibles, breadth of health plans and metal-tier offerings. Our editors are committed to bringing you unbiased ratings and information. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and the methodology for the ratings below.
UnitedHealthcare is the world’s largest health insurance company based on net premiums written, according to AM Best. It offers health benefit programs for individuals, employers and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
The company partners with more than 1.5 million medical providers and 7,000 hospitals and other care facilities across the country.
UnitedHealthcare offers health maintenance organization and exclusive provider organization plans on the health insurance marketplace, which is at HealthCare.gov. The marketplace is a place to find coverage for those who don’t have access to a health plan through work. UnitedHealthcare offers insurance coverage directly to individuals and families in 26 states and employer-sponsored health insurance plans throughout the country.
Besides Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, UnitedHealthcare also offers many other types of health insurance coverage, including plans for:
In addition to ACA plans, UnitedHealthcare offers:
UnitedHealthcare offers two types of plans on the health insurance marketplace:
The company offers three metal tiers on the ACA marketplace:
Insurers can offer bronze, silver, gold and platinum but not many companies offer platinum plans. Bronze plans have the lowest premiums but the highest deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. Of the UnitedHealthcare’s metal tier offerings, gold plans have the highest premiums but the lowest out-of-pocket costs.
If you’re deciding between the three tiers, you may prefer a bronze plan if you don’t need much healthcare. If you regularly see doctors and need multiple expensive prescriptions, a gold plan may work well. If your healthcare usage is somewhere in between those two extremes, a silver plan may be best for you.
UnitedHealth Group Inc. is based in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Its health plans are available in:
Some UnitedHealthcare plans offer additional benefits. The type of benefits you can access will depend on your specific plan, but may include:
Digital fitness class subscription.
Gift cards when you see your primary care physician and health savings account on eligible plans.
Low-cost prescriptions ($3 at Walgreens).
Prescription delivery for some plans.
Unlimited virtual visits, including urgent care.
UnitedHealthcare health insurance plans cost $450 monthly on average for a 30-year-old with an ACA marketplace plan. Age is a cost factor for ACA plans. The average monthly cost for UnitedHealthcare’s ACA plans range from $396 for someone age 21 to $1,076 for age 60.
Other factors that influence ACA plan cost include metal tier, type of plan, smoking status and where you live. How many health plans offer marketplace coverage in your area can also influence costs. Areas with more health insurers in the marketplace may charge you less because there’s more competition.
Source: Healthcare.gov. Based on unsubsidized ACA plans. UnitedHealthcare doesn’t offer many Platinum plans, so we didn’t include those averages.
See More See LessUnitedHealthcare average costs are slightly more than some major competitors. Many factors go into health insurance costs, so it’s wise to check health insurance quotes from multiple companies to compare premiums, out-of-pocket costs and benefits.
Complaints filed with state insurance departments against UnitedHealthcare for individual health insurance are better than the industry average. The company’s complaint ratio is better than that of other major competitors analyzed.
Other ratings for UnitedHealthcare include:
UnitedHealthcare received the second best average NCQA marks among the companies we analyzed (tied with Blue Cross Blue Shield and behind only Kaiser Permanente). The insurer received its highest marks for prevention and treatment, but patient experience was not as strong.
UnitedHealthcare doesn’t have any five-star plans but three did receive 4.5 out of 5 stars for POS/PPO combined plans offered in Rhode Island and Minnesota.
AM Best recently upgraded UnitedHealthcare’s financial strength from A (Excellent) to A+ (Superior). AM Best highlighted the company’s “balance sheet strength” and also noted its’ “very strong operating performance, very favorable business profile and very strong enterprise risk management.”
We used the following data to determine the best health insurance companies.
Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.
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