UnitedHealth Group is taking steps immediately to accelerate payments and other financial support to health care providers to help address the short-term financial pressure caused by the COVID-19 emergency. 

Its move to accelerate claim payments to medical and behavioral care providers applies to UnitedHealthcare’s fully insured commercial, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid businesses. Other financial support currently includes the provision for up to $125 million in small business loans to clinical operators with whom OptumHealth is partnered.

The decision to accelerate claims and incentive payments builds on other measures taken by the company to streamline processes for health care professionals and facilities, and help members more easily access care. This includes:

• Suspension of prior authorization requirements to a post-acute care setting
• Suspension of prior authorization requirements when a member transfers to a new provider
• Extension of timely filing deadlines for claims during the COVID-19 public health emergency period for Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and Individual and Group Market health plans
• Implementation of provisional credentialing to make it easier for out-of-network care providers who are licensed independent practitioners to participate in one or more of our networks