UnitedHealthcare’s 2023 Medicare Plans Add New Benefits, Simplicity for Consumers

UnitedHealthcare today introduced its 2023 Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans, offering expanded access to consumer-focused plans that deliver a differentiated member experience underscored by better-than-ever ancillary benefits, lower prescription drug costs, and further improvements to core benefits.

“With financial pressures especially impacting older adults living on fixed incomes, we are committed to improving the benefits we offer and driving industry-leading innovations that make them easier to use for the people we serve,” said Tim Noel, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement. “These investments and innovations will make a meaningful impact on the experience and value we provide to our members – in ways only UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage can.”

More than 8.2 million peopleⁱ are currently enrolled in UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, and more than a third of all Medicare Advantage enrollment growth over the past five years, including 2022, has been through UnitedHealthcare.ⁱⁱ

In 2023, the company will expand its service area to reach 95% of Medicare consumers nationwide and maintain the industry’s largest Medicare Advantage footprint – including nearly 2.3 million more people in 314 additional counties with access to a standardⁱⁱⁱ Medicare Advantage plan and 145,000 more people eligible for a Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP).

Highlights of UnitedHealthcare’s 2023 individual Medicare Advantage plans include:

New Plan Features Bring Cost Savings, Support Whole-Person Health

• D-SNP Utilities Credit: The combined over-the-counter (OTC) and healthy food benefit offered in 2022 on nearly all D-SNPs gave members three times more credit than the 2021 healthy food credit. In 2023, with food and utility prices rising higher than the average inflation rate^iv, home utilities will be added to the benefit with an average annual credit of more than $2,200. This means Dual members can also choose to spend their monthly credit on expenses like home heat, electricity, water, sewer and home internet.
• D-SNP Home Support: With consumer research identifying home care services as a top desired benefit by Dual eligibles, UnitedHealthcare will offer a new home support services benefit on select D-SNPs. Members can use a $150-$225 quarterly credit toward support services including pest control, companion care, light cleaning, home modifications, yard maintenance and more.
• Flex Benefit: A new flex benefit on select plans can be used to extend existing dental, vision and hearing benefits after using these benefits. This annual benefit ranging from $150-$750 can be used to pay for Medicare-approved items and services like hearing aid copays, prescription sunglasses, out-of-network dental charges and more.

Value-Added Investments Across Core and Ancillary Benefits, Popular Plan Features