Drive benefit engagement with actionable insights

That is where health care analytics can play an important role. With access to broad health care data, including insights from hundreds of millions of member interactions across the health system, and a long history of using predictive analytics, UnitedHealthcare is uniquely positioned to help move beyond static reporting. Today, more advanced AI capabilities are building on that foundation, helping turn broad data signals into more actionable insights and more personalized experiences that can better connect members with relevant information, programs and support.

While a workforce might seem healthy at first glance, a closer examination of different segments may reveal targeted opportunities for engagement. Craig Kurtzweil, chief data and analytics officer for UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual, points out that by breaking down data by site of care utilization, generation or condition prevalence, employers can uncover specific areas where intervention may be needed.

For example, UnitedHealthcare identified a group of employees at one company who were struggling to manage their type 2 diabetes. A deeper analysis of their utilization patterns revealed that, despite the availability of quality and cost-efficient providers in the area, many employees weren’t accessing these services. The reason? Their work schedules made it nearly impossible to schedule appointments during regular business hours, Kurtzweil explains.

To address this, UnitedHealthcare organized on-site events where employees could talk with providers about their diagnoses. This hands-on approach helped employees better adhere to their treatment plans, such as taking their medication consistently.

Data and predictive analytics can also uncover non-medical, community-level factors that impact overall health and well-being. In fact, up to 55% of health outcomes may be influenced by social drivers of health (SDOH), such as living and working conditions, as well as health-related social needs like food security, housing stability and access to transportation.²

“Claims data provides a detailed snapshot of medical, pharmacy and behavioral health issues, but there are external factors that can significantly affect an employee’s overall health,” Kurtzweil notes.

In one case, an employer noticed a high rate of unnecessary emergency room (ER) visits. The UnitedHealthcare data analytics team discovered that many employees lived and worked in a high-crime area, which made them hesitant to visit local primary care providers. To tackle this issue, the employer introduced an on-site nurse to handle less complex health issues and promoted virtual health and digital services.

By understanding the individual drivers of high utilization, engagement and costs within their population, employers can collaborate with their brokers, consultants and carriers to develop personalized outreach strategies.

The UnitedHealthcare Health Activation Index® (HAI®) score, a proprietary tool that evaluates member choices and behaviors, works to help UnitedHealthcare clients understand where there may be opportunities to better engage employees and their families. Kurtzweil explains that HAI helps simplify dozens of disconnected metrics into a more actionable view that employers can track over time.

That matters because the more engaged employees and their families are, the more likely they may be to make informed health care decisions, connect with relevant clinical programs, choose more appropriate sites of care and take steps that can support better health outcomes and lower costs.

While a broad communications and engagement strategy can be useful for addressing general trends, data-driven, personalized messaging often delivers greater value when it helps employers take specific action for specific employee groups.

For example, digital channels like mobile apps and email may resonate more with some employee populations than traditional mailers. If data reveals low benefit utilization among lower-income workers, emphasizing benefits available at little or no additional cost — such as routine checkups — may encourage proactive health behaviors rather than waiting until more urgent issues develop. And when digital tools help members find answers, compare options or connect with the right support, they may also help shift behavior in ways that improve the overall member experience.

To implement targeted employee interventions, employers can work closely with their benefits team, broker, consultant or carrier to develop and deploy population-specific engagement strategies, communication plans and, for larger organizations, custom health activation materials. The goal is not simply to share data but to help employers understand where to focus, which members may need support and what actions could help create a better experience.

As a result, employers can provide employees with a clearer, more relevant path to better health outcomes, more appropriate utilization and greater value from their benefits investment.