As 2018 comes to a close, at UnitedHealthcare Community & State we are reflecting on the past year while looking ahead to the promise of a new one. Our mission to help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone guides our commitment to meeting the needs of our consumers and continuously evolving the work we do to meet system demands.
For the last number of years it seems the only constant in the Medicaid system is change. Lately, the opioid epidemic and increasing rates of maternal mortality have posed significant challenges. The connection between basic social needs and health was brought into sharper focus. And the need to address these social determinants of health was made even more important. There has also been an increasing desire from both consumers and our state and federal partners to integrate services, innovate around access and program offerings, and increase the quality and value of the care we provide.
At UnitedHealthcare Community & State we consider change progress. In 2019, we anticipate many of these same trends to continue and to impact the health care system and the millions of lives covered under Medicaid. We are committed to and inspired by collaboration with our federal, state, and community-based partners to create healthier individuals, healthier families, and healthier communities.
Finally, we know that in order to achieve these objectives we must first listen to the individuals whom we serve. When we listen we can truly hear and better understand their needs. By understanding their day-to-day pressures and perspectives, we can deliver the simpler, person-centered, more effective health care system they deserve.
This is our challenge for 2019. I know that there isn’t a team of compassionate, talented individuals better suited to take it on. We are ready and able to meet our goals and ensure that the almost 7 million individuals that we have the privilege of serving are getting the care they need to live their best lives.
Cheers to a New Year, new challenges, and new opportunities to positively impact millions of lives, one person at a time.
