The power of a primary care connection

The provider workforce pipeline compounds the challenge. A 2025 analysis found that the country’s roughly 321,000 PCPs could deliver just over 1B visits against a demand of 1.2B visits.³ In other words, millions of people have primary care needs that are not fully met due to provider availability.³ For employers, these gaps can translate directly into higher costs and poorer health outcomes among their employees. And that’s why working with a carrier that has a robust network of primary care providers and is continually looking at opportunities to invest and expand the pipeline of future health care professionals is key to supporting employee health.

Research establishing the value of a consistent PCP relationship is extensive, and it’s growing more compelling by the year. A landmark study found that Americans who engaged with a PCP received notably higher-value care and reported significantly better health care experiences than those without one.⁴

Among UnitedHealthcare members specifically, PCP engagement has been linked to improved health care decision-making. In fact, those who engaged with their PCP experienced a Health Activation Index® (HAI®) score 10 points higher than those who didn’t.⁵ The HAI proprietary tool is the way UnitedHealthcare measures whether members are making optimal health care choices and taking positive actions regarding their health.

For employees, annual preventive care visits are often a no-cost opportunity to get ahead of health issues—covered at $0 out-of-pocket under most plans. Yet the opportunity is going largely untapped: Only 17% of employees plan to complete their annual physical in 2026, and 32.1% of health plan members still have no PCP at all.⁶

Tight schedules and limited appointments lead many employees to skip preventive care — but employers are well positioned to change that by encouraging employees to make it a priority.⁷ UnitedHealthcare members already demonstrate strong engagement with PCPs and preventive care, with 52% of members having connected with their PCP in the last 24 months and 72% of covered adults having completed a wellness visit in 2025.⁵

The difference in employee health outcomes between engaged and nonengaged populations is striking: Those enrolled in a robust preventive care program experienced a medical trend of -1.3% versus +8% for employees with no preventive care, along with 25.6% fewer ER visits and 34.7% fewer inpatient admissions.⁸

For employers, those healthier employees translate directly into financial returns. A survey found that preventive health programs deliver a 3.6x ROI, with each engaged employee contributing an average of $359 in combined health care and productivity savings per year.⁹

“When members have a primary care physician, they tend to have a lower cost of care,” Hautman says. “And our research demonstrates that members who have a PCP have a better experience because they’re able to navigate a complex health care system a little more easily.”

For employees living with or at risk for chronic conditions, or for those who are facing complex or unfamiliar health situations, a trusted PCP can be one of the most important assets they have. When a provider knows an employee’s history, risk factors and lifestyle, they may be able to catch problems early, adjust treatment plans proactively and help employees avoid the kind of severe health events that disrupt work and life.

Beyond supporting employees through acute issues, a PCP can help them become more engaged and invested in their health and well-being — through education, preventive care and referrals to relevant resources that support healthier lifestyles.

For example, employees with an established PCP are far less likely to end up in the ER for issues that could have been handled in a more appropriate — and far less costly — setting. UnitedHealthcare claims data confirms meaningfully different decision-making and utilization patterns between members with an established PCP relationship and those without.⁵

The evidence is clear: Encouraging employees to establish and maintain a relationship with a PCP may be among the highest-return strategies available in employer-sponsored health benefits. Here are several practical steps that may help employees connect with a PCP and participate in preventive care:

Many employees, especially younger workers,⁵ are unaware of the value of a PCP relationship or that preventive visits are covered at no cost under most plans. Males are also less inclined to see a PCP.⁵ Benefits communications that target these populations and clearly explain the connection between PCP engagement and personal health and financial outcomes can meaningfully shift behavior.

Highlighting virtual care options, offering a broad network of PCPs and working with a carrier that has tools to connect employees with quality providers can make primary care feel more accessible.

Employers may want to offer plans that encourage or even require employees to establish a regular PCP. Offering rewards for seeing a PCP and completing annual preventive care visits may also help foster better behaviors and more positive care experiences.

For employees with chronic conditions or elevated health risks, care management resources paired with a primary care relationship may generate the largest returns.

Employers who treat PCP connection rates as a driver of smarter health care utilization are better positioned to demonstrate ROI to leadership.