PRESS RELEASE

UnitedHealthcare, Optum and UnitedHealth Group Donate $1 Million to Florida Communities Affected by Hurricane Irma

September 11, 2017
  • In addition, company offers 2:1 match for employee donations supporting disaster relief efforts

UnitedHealthcare, Optum and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) announced a donation of $1 million to support Florida communities affected by Hurricane Irma.  The company also is pledging a 2:1 match for employee donations to select organizations supporting disaster relief efforts.

"We are deeply concerned for the people affected by Hurricane Irma, and we are committed to supporting local communities as they recover and rebuild," said David S. Wichmann, Chief Executive Officer, UnitedHealth Group.  "We are also taking action to ensure the people we serve have easy access to the care they need, and have worked to ensure the safety and well-being of our colleagues in the region."

The company is continuing to support the broader community affected by Hurricane Irma in a number of ways:

  • Access to Care: Members who may have been displaced from their homes or whose network or medical facility is inaccessible can access care anywhere, as needed and it will be covered at their in-network benefit level.  UnitedHealthcare is also waiving preauthorization for new and existing medical and pharmacy treatments.
  • Early Prescription Refills, Durable Medical Equipment: Members who are affected can also fill existing prescriptions early (one time, up to 90-day refill, through Oct. 5) and replace durable medical equipment, if necessary.  For mail-order delivery service to affected areas or any other questions related to their prescriptions, people are encouraged to call the number on the back of their ID card, or speak directly to a pharmacist about their situation in order to get an early refill, if necessary.  
  • For Additional Assistance: Members can call the Customer Care number on the back of their medical ID card, if they need additional assistance.   If they have misplaced their medical ID card, they can call 866-633-2446, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. (in the local time zone), Monday through Friday.

    People enrolled in Medicaid, employer-sponsored and individual health plans (excluding Medicare plans) who have a smartphone can download the free Health4Me app, which provides instant access to their ID card, contact information for network care providers, their personal health benefits and more. The Health4Me app is available as a free download at the Apple iTunes App Store  and the Android Market on Google Play.

These measures apply to all individuals insured by UnitedHealthcare and are effective Sept. 8-15, 2017 (unless otherwise noted) and will be reviewed again at that time if necessary. 

Help For Broader Community:

  • Free Help Line:Optum is offering a free emotional-support help line to affected individuals. The toll-free number, 866-342-6892, will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for as long as necessary. The service is free of charge and open to anyone.  Callers may also receive referrals to community resources.  Along with the toll-free help line, emotional-support resources and information are available online at www.liveandworkwell.com.

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and helping to make the health system work better for everyone. UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through two distinct platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health care coverage and benefits services; and Optum, which provides information and technology-enabled health services. For more information, visit UnitedHealth Group at www.unitedhealthgroup.com or follow @UnitedHealthGrp on Twitter.