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UnitedHealth
Annual Report 2010

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FY2010 Annual Report · UnitedHealth
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New Opportunities to Serve

2010 Summary Annual Report

UnitedHealth Group Overview 

UnitedHealth Group is a diversifi ed health and well-

UnitedHealthcare, our Health Benefi ts platform, 

being company offering an array of integrated products 

includes three distinct businesses that share systems, 

and services. Our 87,000 employees serve more than 

networks and one unifi ed brand name to offer 

75 million individuals, 6,200 hospital facilities, 246,000 

customers broad access to high-quality, cost-effective 

health care professionals or groups, all 50 states and 

health care at the local level. UnitedHealthcare 

federal and international governments.

Employer & Individual serves the health benefi t 

At our core are three competencies:

needs of employers of all sizes, public sector clients, 

students and individuals. UnitedHealthcare Medicare 

Technology. Applying advanced technology to enable 

& Retirement delivers health and well-being benefi ts 

interactions on enormous scale and manage data 

in partnership with AARP to individuals age 50 and 

across the complex health system.

older. And UnitedHealthcare Community & State 

Information. Unmatched health data, the capacity 

to translate data into information and then into 

manages health care benefi t programs on behalf of 

state Medicaid and community programs.

intelligent action.

Optum, our Health Services platform, includes 

Clinical expertise. Deep, practical know-how in care 

management and coordination, in clinical resource 

use, access and cost, combined with skills in both 

consumer and care provider engagement.

three diversifi ed information and technology-enabled 

services businesses, serving the broad health care 

marketplace. OptumHealth is focused on health 

management and wellness, clinical services and 

fi nancial services. OptumInsight, formerly Ingenix, 

We apply these competencies in two broad 

specializes in technology, intelligence, consulting and 

and growing domains —Health Benefi ts and 

business outsourcing solutions. OptumRx, formerly 

Health Services.

Prescription Solutions, is among the largest pharmacy 

benefi t management organizations.

Table of Contents

Letter to Shareholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2010 Financial Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

New Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Non-GAAP Reconciliation and Disclaimer . . . . . . . . . 26

New Opportunities to Serve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Offi cers and Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

New Growth  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Investor Information  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Business Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Mission and Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Foundations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

The names and health information for individuals included in this report have been used with their express permission.

10%

This annual report is printed on recycled papers certifi ed by Bureau Veritas per FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) 
standards for Chain of Custody ensuring environmentally responsible, socially benefi cial and economically viable 
forest management, and also uses reduced VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) vegetable-based inks.

letter to shareholders

Dear shareholder: 

In 2010, the elevated focus on the 
U.S. health care system—both its greatness 
and its shortcomings—was striking.

There is a growing national will to 

consistency and connectivity among all the participants 

address core issues in the health care 

system to make it work better for 

everyone. Recognition of the need 

for fundamental change makes this 

a time of signifi cant challenge and 

in health care and fi nding new ways to improve quality 

while controlling the rising costs of health care.

In 2010, this approach to serving people in health care 

enabled us to exceed our growth goals. Our revenue 

grew by 8 percent, or $7 billion, reaching $94 billion in 

2010. We met our fi nancial commitments for 2010 and 

opportunity for the modernization 

introduced a meaningful dividend to our shareholders. 

of health care. We see new markets 

Our Health Benefi ts businesses are growing. 

opening, new opportunities to serve 

In 2010, our benefi ts businesses were privileged 

and new growth for our enterprise.

to serve a million more people than in 2009. They 

also transitioned smoothly and successfully to a 

For three decades, we have worked to develop 

single, unifying brand name, UnitedHealthcare. 

innovative, practical and fi nancially responsible 

ways to make higher quality health care more 

Our benefi ts platform has strong growth capacity, 

across geographies, products and benefi t sponsors. 

accessible and affordable for more people. We focus 

Millions more people will be entering the market for 

on making it easier for people to get the care they 

health benefi ts over the next several years and the 

need, personalizing and simplifying their health care 

UnitedHealthcare brand and its capabilities will make 

experience, strengthening the bonds between patients 

it simple and easy for all our customers to understand 

and physicians, modernizing technology to improve 

the value we offer through every stage in life.

2010 Summary Annual Report

1

letter to shareholders

2009 Revenue

2010 Revenue

In 2010, we continued to focus, as we have over 

$87B

$94B

Our Health Services businesses, under the new 

Optum brand name, are growing. OptumInsight, 

OptumHealth and OptumRx delivered combined 

revenue growth of 15 percent year-over-year. 

Expanding benefi t coverage, increasing government 

oversight and new legislation are creating needs we 

the last several years, on consistent fundamental 

execution. As a result, UnitedHealth Group’s 

measures of service and responsiveness were high 

and continued to trend upward. Our care provider 

relationships and clinical programs have never been 

more consistent, more integrated or offered greater 

economic value. Our cost and capital management 

disciplines, strong integration and modernization 

efforts, and our growth, distribution and market 

engagement programs have never been more 

mature. The time is right to begin to tell our story. 

We launched Health in Numbers, an image and 

reputation campaign for UnitedHealth Group, and 

the initial response has been strongly positive.

can meet for connectivity, expanded care capacity, 

Our growing role in making the health care system 

clinical accountability and transparency, and more 

work aligns with our growing and deeper involvement 

consumer affordability. Greater cost pressures are 

in people’s health and health care. That relationship, 

impacting the entire health care system. In 2010, 

in such a socially and personally sensitive part of their 

we aligned our Health Services businesses more 

lives, must be built on trust. We are committed to 

closely to better serve this huge emerging market 

putting ourselves in the shoes of the people we serve, 

among governments, care providers, payers and other 

delivering not only high performance, but compassion 

participants in the care system.

and dependability properly matched to the enabling role 

Health Services will not focus on the domestic 

we will play in the future of this nation’s health care.

market alone. Our broad services capabilities are 

Within each of our businesses, we are redoubling our 

also the leading edge of our company’s continuing 

efforts to develop and promote innovative thinking, 

international expansion. 

along with the processes to effi ciently translate new 

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UnitedHealth Group

Initial response to 

UnitedHealth Group’s 

image and reputation 

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has been very positive.

UnitedHealth Group is building new 

relationships to help reach and serve 

people from different perspectives, like 

our collaboration with Sesame Street.

ideas into scalable reality. The results are new product 

We serve people —we support the health care needs 

designs and network and payment approaches, new 

of more than 75 million people in the United States 

ways to engage people in their health and health care 

and around the globe and help enable the 14 million 

and drive better consumer choices, and the application 

people who work in the U.S. health system to do 

of new technology to simplify the health care 

their jobs more effectively, every day. As we address 

experience end-to-end for both consumers and care 

the needs of the people we serve—better and more 

providers. We are building new relationships to help 

consistently than other market alternatives—we 

us reach and serve people from different perspectives, 

diversify and grow. 

like our collaborations with Sesame Street, the YMCA, 

LPL Financial, the National Restaurant Association, 

National Football League’s New England Patriots 

franchise, Walgreens and Cisco. This report highlights 

a number of the innovations we introduced in 2010.

Our forward momentum is strong and we are optimistic 

as we enter 2011 and begin to prepare for continued 

growth in 2012 and beyond. The next wave of growth 

opportunities will come to those who fundamentally 

UnitedHealth Group has never been better prepared, 

more engaged or more committed to help people live 

healthier lives and to advance a positive health care 

agenda in the United States and worldwide.

I would like to thank the people of UnitedHealth 

Group for their outstanding performance this year in 

serving our customers. We offer our thanks to you, 

our shareholders, for your continuing support. 

help make the health care system work better, in a 

Sincerely, 

more sustainable way. We believe UnitedHealth Group 

is well positioned to meet that challenge.

Stephen J. Hemsley 

President and Chief Executive Offi cer

2010 Summary Annual Report

3

“ It was an eye-opening experience. It felt like the 
doctor was right there in the room with me. This 
is something Lamar has needed for a long time.”

Gale Garrison

Garrison’s pulmonologist is 200 miles 

away from Lamar in suburban Denver, 

while the nearest cardiologist is based 

100 miles away in Pueblo.

4

UnitedHealth Group

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Denver

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Pueblo

Lamar

new markets

The health care system is under increasing pressure
to provide affordable care for more people. To make 
the best use of health resources and get people the 
care they need when they need it, no matter where 
they are, we are entering new markets with 
innovative products and services.

There are not enough primary care 

For example, together with the state of Colorado 

doctors in America, especially in rural 

areas. Our advances in telemedicine 

make access to health care easier. 

and Centura Health, a large hospital system, we 

are expanding physicians’ reach into underserved 

communities across the state.

“I just said it can’t be possible,” recalls Gale Garrison, 

Within 10 years, the U.S. health system is expected 

59-year-old resident of rural Lamar, Colorado, who has 

to need an additional 45,000 primary care physicians. 

worked all his life on livestock feed lots in Colorado 

Many areas of the nation and a number of medical 

and Nebraska. “It just really doesn’t make sense, 

specialties are already reporting a scarcity of 

does it? How could someone hundreds of miles away 

physicians, according to the American Association 

tell you what’s going on with you?”

of Medical Colleges. The effects of this shortage 

are perhaps most acute in rural areas. While 

approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population 

lives in rural areas, only 9 percent of U.S. physicians 

practice in these communities.

After his fi rst visit with a pulmonologist who 

was sitting 200 miles away in suburban Denver, 

Garrison became a believer. “It was an eye-opening 

experience,” says Garrison. “It felt like the doctor was 

right there in the room with me. This is something 

In collaboration with Cisco, UnitedHealth Group 

Lamar has needed for a long time.” 

has introduced high-resolution teleconferencing 

technology and digitalized diagnostic equipment 

to establish the fi rst national telehealth network 

to enable physicians to see and diagnose patients 

face-to-face when in-person visits are not feasible. 

Like most of Lamar’s 9,000 residents, Garrison faced 

challenges accessing specialty care. In the early 1990s, 

he was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary 

disease. To see a lung specialist, Garrison had to make 

2010 Summary Annual Report

5

new markets

a three-hour drive to Colorado Springs. The distance, 

Connected Care is also proving to be a popular 

hassle and expense of the trip kept Garrison from 

professional tool for physicians. For the past year, 

seeing a pulmonologist for three years—until his 

Dr. Randy Taylor and other physicians in his Denver-

Connected Care visit in fall 2010.

area practice have used Connected Care to see 

Using Connected Care, Garrison was treated by 

Dr. Thomas Bost of Critical Care, Pulmonary & Sleep 

Associates in suburban Denver. Dr. Bost says his fi rst 

visit with Garrison resembled many such visits via 

Connected Care.

“The fi rst visit is almost always emotional, witnessing 

faces of patients who walk in skeptics and walk 

away believers in the ability of this technology to 

open access to care in a way they never would have 

imagined,” said Dr. Bost. “Gale was no exception.”

Garrison also suffers from heart problems. Today, the 

nearest cardiologist is based 100 miles away from 

Lamar in Pueblo, and Garrison makes monthly trips to 

see him. Encouraged by his experience with Connected 

Care to treat his lung condition, Garrison is planning to 

patients in Lamar and another rural town, Del Norte. 

The majority of their patients are Mexican-Americans, 

many struggling with poverty and the language barrier 

in accessing health care, in addition to the challenge 

of their remote locations.

“It’s an empowering experience for the patient who 

has never had such convenient access to quality 

specialty care before,” said Dr. Taylor, an ear, nose 

and throat specialist. “But it’s just as empowering 

for us to be able to help patients we could not 

reach before.”

In Lamar, Garrison now spends his days looking after 

his eight grandchildren, who he says will have better 

access to care than he did growing up—in large part 

because of Connected Care.

start using the technology to manage his heart disease.

“It gives me hope knowing I can see a doctor when I 

need to,” Garrison says. “And that these children will, too.”

“The fi rst visit 

is almost always 
emotional, 
witnessing faces 
of patients who 
walk in skeptics 
and walk away 
believers…” 

— Dr. Bost

6

UnitedHealth Group

Health Care Goes Mobile 

NowClinic
With NowClinicSM online care, a computer 

with Internet access turns any location 

into a doctor’s offi ce. Our NowClinic online 

care service uses digital technology 

and the Internet to bring health care 

directly to consumers on their desktop 

or laptop computers. 

This online health care model from 

OptumHealth provides patients with 

immediate, real-time remote access to 

licensed physicians and other health care 

providers in their state, regardless of 

insurance coverage. It facilitates secure, 

live chats over the Internet that can, in 

many cases, also allow patients and doctors 

to see each other via webcams. You can 

talk to a doctor, clinician or specialist like 

you would in an exam room, and share your 

symptoms, receive a diagnosis, and even get 

a prescription, if clinically appropriate.

In the workplace, whether it’s an offi ce or 

a construction site, NowClinic online care 

can help balance personal and business 

needs, reducing the costs and the time 

lost to travel and waiting room delays. 

In the near future, NowClinic will connect 

patients and physicians via computer 

access in retail settings like shopping 

malls, national chain stores and from the 

comfort of the patient’s home.

DocGPS 
UnitedHealthcare was fi rst to develop a 

Medication Reminders
Many patients, particularly older people 

smart-phone application that makes fi nding 

with multiple health issues, have trouble 

doctors and hospitals as simple as a series 

remembering when to take their medications. 

of taps. The app locates nearby United-

Careful adherence to patients’ treatments 

Healthcare physicians and care providers, 

and medications plays an important role in 

along with simple touch-screen access to 

supporting better health. 

23 kinds of health and urgent care facilities 

and 58 types of medical specialties, putting 

quality care right at people’s fi ngertips.

OptumRx, our pharmacy benefi ts management 

organization, introduced a new mobile device 

application for people who use our prescrip-

Search results indicate UnitedHealth 

tion services that makes it easier for people to 

Premium®-designated doctors and health 

remember to take their medications, as well 

care facilities, helping plan participants fi nd 

as to refi ll or transfer a prescription to mail 

physicians and health care facilities that 

service. It’s called “My Medication Reminder.” 

provide higher-quality, cost-effective care. 

Users can specifi cally search for urgent 

care centers, making it easier to locate an 

alternative to the local emergency room for 

routine illnesses or injuries. And users can 

limit their searches to a specifi c mile radius 

from their current location based on the GPS 

signal, or by ZIP code.

The text message program offers two dosage 

reminder options: a daily reminder that can 

be set for any hour of the day to remind a 

patient to “Take your medications today;” and 

prescription-specifi c reminders. Patients who 

select this option receive a list of all the active 

drugs (including over-the-counter medications) 

in their personalized OptumRx account profi les. 

DocGPS maps the chosen doctor’s location 

They can then designate the drugs for which 

with detailed directions, and allows users 

they would like to receive reminders. 

to call the doctor’s offi ce they’ve chosen 

with a single tap. The app makes it easy to 

fi nd care right where and when it’s needed, 

whether for families on vacation or regular 

business travelers on the road. DocGPS has 

had approximately 20,000 downloads.

OptumRx also offers reminder services via 

e-mail or telephone. In addition, customers 

can access their personal prescription profi le, 

refi ll their mail service medications and check 

the status of their mail order prescriptions, 

directly from their mobile phones.

2010 Summary Annual Report

7

“ To learn I was prediabetic was a shock. If I don’t get 
active and eat the right things, that’s the direction 
I’m going. I need to be around for my kids.” 

Todd Hopkins

24 million adults in the 

United States are affected 

by type 2 diabetes. 

Another 79 million 

Americans are 

affected by prediabetes.

24 
million

79 
million

52%

By 2020, 

52 percent of 

U.S. adults could 

have prediabetes 

or diabetes.

8

UnitedHealth Group

new opportunities to serve

Serving people’s health care needs is both our 
business and social mission. Our advances in health 
care coordination and management are opening new 
opportunities to engage people more actively in their 
own health and well-being.

An epidemic of type 2 diabetes is 

prediabetes with the nation spending $3.4 trillion on 

sweeping the United States. We can help 

stop the progression of the disease and 

control its life-threatening consequences. 

diabetes-related care. At the core of the epidemic is 

the rising number of overweight and obese people.

Yet, well-established clinical trials sponsored by the 

National Institutes of Health and the Centers for 

Todd Hopkins, 43, is the father of fi ve children, 

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have proven 

ranging in age from 8 to 19 years old. Hopkins recalls, 

that lifestyle intervention and modest weight loss 

“My doctor said I was ‘morbidly obese.’ My good 

can prevent conversion from prediabetes to diabetes. 

cholesterol was low. My bad cholesterol was getting 

And documented community studies support the fact 

higher. A glucose test showed I was heading toward 

that education programs signifi cantly reduce medical 

diabetes. To learn I was prediabetic was a shock. If 

complications for people who already have diabetes.

I don’t get active and eat the right things, that’s the 

direction I’m going. I need to be around for my kids.” 

UnitedHealth Group is spearheading the Diabetes 

Prevention and Control Alliance to bring these 

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic and disabling disease 

scientifi cally proven effective approaches to managing 

that affects nearly 24 million adults in the United 

prediabetes and diabetes to broad scale through a 

States. Another 79 million Americans are affected by 

unique collaboration with the YMCA of the USA, the 

prediabetes, the precursor of diabetes, and the vast 

CDC and Walgreens. 

majority of them don’t even know they are in danger.

By 2020, if current trends continue, more than half of 

YMCA to offer a 16-session lifestyle intervention 

the U.S. population could be affected by diabetes or 

program staffed by Y lifestyle coaches rigorously 

To help prevent diabetes, we are working with the 

2010 Summary Annual Report

9

new opportunities to serve

trained by CDC-supported master trainers. The 

more fruits and vegetables, less of the high fat, high 

evidence-based course is aimed at teaching people 

cholesterol stuff.

to prevent diabetes through healthy eating, increased 

physical activity and other lifestyle changes. To help 

control diabetes, UnitedHealth Group has introduced 

a program designed to encourage people with the 

disease to better understand their condition and 

the importance of their often complex medication 

strategies through education and support from trained 

community pharmacists, like those at Walgreens.

UnitedHealth Group also provides advanced analytics 

and technology support, as well as funding outreach 

and consumer marketing and reimbursement for the 

services delivered under the program.

Hopkins’ employer-sponsored health benefi ts from 

UnitedHealthcare offered the diabetes prevention 

program at no cost, and he joined the Y’s classes near 

his home. He says, “It’s all about making better life 

choices. Over the last 16 sessions, I’ve changed a lot 

of the ways I eat, a lot of the foods I eat. I’m eating 

“People at work say, ‘You’re losing weight. You’re 

looking great. What diet are you on?’ I’m not on a diet. 

I just have to decide how much to eat and make the 

healthy choices along the way. But one of the benefi ts 

for me was that it really has been a great weight loss 

program. The fi rst class, I weighed 305 pounds. At last 

Monday’s class, I weighed in at 272.

“Your health gets a whole lot better. I’m more active. 

I’ve got much more energy than I did just three 

months ago. My oldest son at home who’s a junior in 

high school says, ‘I’ve got to get in shape, because 

Dad can catch me now.’”

Hopkins says he still has more personal goals to meet. 

“My wife and I have our 21st wedding anniversary 

coming up and we’re going away together for a week. 

My goal is to be at 265 before we leave for that trip. 

It’s an overall lifestyle change that I’m trying to make 

consistent in my life.”

“If you want people to be successful in the program 

and sustain the changes they make throughout their 

lifetime, you really have to listen to what is going to 

work for them.” She said, “I raise issues and offer 

support and guidance, but then I step back and let the 

group work out the problems and challenges—that’s 

when the program is most benefi cial. Maybe I’m biased, 

but I really enjoy my group, because they are really 

embracing the change and are ready to do whatever it 

takes. They are so willing to support one another.”

Sarah Shimchick leads the Diabetes 
Prevention Program at Ys in the Phoenix area 
and also coaches groups of participants.

10

UnitedHealth Group

Helping People Get Healthy and Stay Healthy

Personal Rewards
According to the Centers for Disease Control 

Health Impact
Most of the $1 billion spent annually on care 

Healthy Habits for Life
Our initiative, Food for Thought: Eating Well 

and Prevention (CDC), 50 percent of a person’s 

management programs in the United States 

on a Budget ™, under our Healthy Habits for 

health status is a result of behavior—choices 

supports treatment for people already 

Life partnership with Sesame Workshop, the 

made each day with respect to physical and 

diagnosed with diffi cult-to-manage chronic 

nonprofi t educational organization behind 

emotional well-being. CDC studies also show 

conditions, like diabetes, colorectal cancer 

Sesame Street®, is a bilingual educational 

that nearly half of the health care decisions 

and others. Often, by the time a person is 

outreach program that helps low-income 

people make are “sub-optimal,” meaning an 

diagnosed with a chronic illness, it is too late to 

families make food choices that are afford-

alternative choice may have led to a better 

reverse the disease and it is expensive to treat. 

able, nutritional, and set the foundation for 

clinical and/or fi nancial outcome.

UnitedHealth Group’s OptumInsight information, 

lifelong healthy habits. 

UnitedHealth Personal Rewards is a wellness 

technology, services and consulting business 

Our partnership and the Food for Thought 

program that offers fi nancial incentives to 

developed Health Impact to help predict and 

initiative offers support and resources for 

people in an employer-sponsored health 

prevent disease by identifying risk factors 

families with children between the ages 

plan who pursue a healthy lifestyle and who 

before an illness begins to develop or 

of 2 and 8 to cope with “food insecurity”

get regular care when living with an illness. 

progress. By analyzing historical, de-identifi ed 

—defi ned by the U.S. Department of 

Each participant has a customized Personal 

medical data, the tool pinpoints the underlying 

Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health 

Rewards scorecard that serves as a guide to 

precursors to disease with high accuracy 

and Human Services as “households where 

his or her goals for better health, including 

among at-risk individuals. 

annual physical exams, regular cancer screen-

ings and, as appropriate, weight manage-

ment, disease management and smoking 

cessation programs. The more goals a person 

meets, the greater the rewards for the 

participant. The program encourages healthy 

choices, tallies the fi nancial incentives and 

offers access to ongoing support. 

For example, Health Impact has identifi ed not 

only the standard precursors for diabetes, 

such as metabolic syndrome, but as many 

as 93 other potential fl ags for diabetes. 

Early warnings of emerging health issues 

give people time to make critical lifestyle 

choices and behavioral changes that can 

delay or even prevent illness and signifi cantly 

By connecting specifi c actions with meaning-

reduce the costs of care. Health Impact was 

ful incentives, we are motivating healthier 

recognized for its breakthrough potential in 

behaviors. In 2010, UnitedHealth Group began 

The Wall Street Journal’s Annual Technology 

offering this program to our employees and 

Innovation Awards for 2010.

family members.

there is a lack of access to enough food to 

fully meet basic needs at all times due to 

lack of fi nancial resources.” There is growing 

concern that food insecurity could contribute 

to childhood obesity. Over the past three 

decades, the rate of childhood obesity in 

America has tripled. Nearly one in three 

children is overweight or obese, putting them 

at risk for lifelong chronic illnesses including 

hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.

2010 Summary Annual Report

11

“ CareTracker gives me 
the time I need to provide 
more patient care.”

Dr. Ruth Yoon

U.S. patients receiving 

primary care in small practices

Small practices using an 

electronic health record 

12%

75%

12

UnitedHealth Group

new growth

Our enterprise is meeting the challenges of making 
health communities more connected, transparent, 
effi cient and accountable. We are experiencing growth 
by providing tools and new approaches that help deliver 
quality, evidence-based, patient-centered care. 

The majority of physicians’ practices 

IT in small physician practices. The AMA helped 

still use paper-based systems. Our 

Physician Model Offi ce project makes 

adoption of health IT easier, helping 

identify physicians to participate in the program 

and is coordinating resources and expertise for the 

project. Physician Model Offi ce practices receive 

free implementation and access to CareTracker, a 

doctors spend more time with patients. 

Web-based practice management and EHR system 

While 75 percent of people in the United States 

developed by OptumInsight. 

receive primary care in small physician practices, only 

Dr. Ruth Yoon is a family doctor with a small practice 

about 12 percent of these practices use an electronic 

in Okemos, Michigan, who sees 15 to 20 patients daily. 

health record (EHR). Working with the American 

She says, “We were using paper patient charts and we 

Medical Association (AMA), OptumInsight is helping 

realized how many charts we were pulling every day.” 

to make health IT implementations faster, easier and 

In fact, she and her staff sometimes found themselves 

minimally disruptive—and ultimately more successful. 

distracted from some aspects of patient care by this 

Over the next few years, hundreds of thousands of 

kind of administrative work. “There are only so many 

physicians who are currently dependent upon paper-

hours in the day, so that cuts into patient care,” says 

based, manual systems for administration and patient 

Dr. Yoon. In joining the program, the doctor wanted to 

records, are expected to make the change to electronic 

put in place the necessary components to provide a 

systems and processes. 

The Physician Model Offi ce is building a blueprint 

for the effective, effi cient deployment of health 

patient-centered medical home, including converting her 

practice’s operating systems to more comprehensively 

address her patients’ overall medical needs.

2010 Summary Annual Report

13

new growth

Working closely with OptumInsight consultants, 

According to Dr. Yoon, “Since CareTracker has been in 

Dr. Yoon and her staff had CareTracker up and 

our offi ce, I can see the future coming. The American 

running in a matter of hours. CareTracker saves time 

Recovery and Reinvestment Act requires the usage of 

for physicians and staff by helping them access and 

EHR 80 percent of the time for patient care to give us 

use important clinical knowledge and patient medical 

funding for health IT. With scheduling, seeing patients, 

information right at the point of care. The system 

planning and follow-up, I do believe I am already there, 

links to thousands of labs, hospitals, pharmacies and 

because I’m using it from beginning to end.” Her staff 

commercial and government sponsors of benefi ts. 

members are more available for patients’ tests and 

It also connects with all the operational functions 

other care. And Dr. Yoon says, “It gives me the time 

of a physician’s practice. It simplifi es administrative 

I need to provide more patient care. That is my goal, to 

tasks such as billing, claims management, scheduling, 

provide better care for my patients—not only for their 

prescriptions, lab and hospital interactions and 

medical problems, but also their mental, emotional and 

other documentation.

family problems. That is my passion.”

The U.S. government recognizes health IT’s potential 

Feedback from physicians participating in the Physician 

to help reduce health care expense and improve 

Model Offi ce program is providing a constructive look 

medical outcomes. This is underscored by the 

at the transition hundreds of thousands of doctors 

$27 billion included in the 2009 American Recovery 

and other care providers will complete over the next 

and Reinvestment Act to provide incentives for 

several years. UnitedHealth Group will use this insight 

hospitals and physicians to promote the introduction 

and experience to continue to better serve the rapidly 

and use of interoperable electronic health records. 

growing market for technology that connects, informs 

and aligns health care more closely around patient 

needs and population health.

CareTracker saves time for physicians 

and staff by helping them access and 

use important clinical knowledge and 

patient medical information right at 

the point of care.

14

UnitedHealth Group

Helping Make Health Care Work Better 

New Payment Approach 
to Fight Cancer 
We are introducing new approaches to health care payment and 

Growing Our Health 
Services Offerings
OptumInsight applies health intelligence, technology and connectivity 

provider reimbursement. This year, working with fi ve medical oncology 

to help physicians, hospitals and clinics optimize clinical performance, 

groups across the nation, UnitedHealthcare is advancing a fi rst-of-its-

improve quality of care and reduce costs. In 2010, OptumInsight 

kind cancer-care payment model aimed at improving the quality of care 

acquired the following companies — Picis, Executive Health 

for patients with breast, colon and lung cancers— among the most 

Resources and Axolotl — that add important new capabilities to 

common cancers in the United States, according to the National 

our services offerings. 

Cancer Institute.

Under the current system, oncologists recommend a specifi c treatment 

emergency department, surgical suites and intensive care units. 

program that commonly includes chemotherapy drugs and administers 

Through Picis, OptumInsight offers information systems that provide 

them to the patient. The oncologist then bills the patient’s health 

second-by-second decision support, capture patient information and 

insurance plan or payer for the retail price of the drugs, plus a charge 

keep records of treatment for accurate billing and reimbursement.

The most critical areas for care — and cost — in a hospital are the 

for administering the drugs.

This new reimbursement model pays a new patient care fee for a 

necessity rules compliance and audit requirements demand 

patient’s total cycle of treatment— it represents the profi t margins 

organizational planning, new infrastructure, processes and expertise. 

oncologists made from the drugs. It will remain the same no matter 

Through Executive Health Resources, OptumInsight offers the leading 

what chemotherapy drugs are given, but the drug cost is always 

physician guided solutions for medical necessity compliance.

New medical industry standards and regulation programs, medical 

reimbursed. The new program, in effect, separates the oncologist’s 

income from drug sales while preserving his or her ability to maintain 

a regular visit schedule with the patient.

Health information exchanges (HIE) are secure, intelligent, electronic 

networks that clinically connect care providers across a hospital 

system, within a region or across an entire state, pulling together 

This innovative approach reimburses the oncologist upfront for an 

all available patient data electronically. With a single click, this 

entire cancer treatment program, shifting away from the current 

information is displayed to authorized users when it is needed most—

“fee-for-service” approach, which rewards volume regardless of health 

at the point of care. Axolotl offers a leading HIE solution, used by nearly 

outcomes. This program also promotes better, more patient-centric, 

30,000 physicians, 100,000 health care professionals, more than 200 

evidence-based care with no loss of revenue for the physician.

hospitals, 20 regional health information organizations (RHIOs), and six 

statewide HIEs— touching the lives of more than 35 million patients.

2010 Summary Annual Report

15

business summary

Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group 
provides a highly diversifi ed and comprehensive array 
of health and well-being products and services. 

The company serves more than 75 million individuals, 

business units focuses on the key goals in health and 

6,200 hospital facilities, 246,000 health care 

well-being: access, affordability, quality and simplicity 

professionals or groups, all 50 states and the federal 

as they apply to their specifi c market. 

and international governments.

UnitedHealth Group has achieved marketplace 

The enterprise has been developed around investment 

leadership through a sustained focus on advancing 

in and application of three core competencies: clinical 

health and well-being; a commitment to operational 

care management; technology; and the use of data 

excellence; product and service innovation; advancement 

and information to improve health care performance. 

of practical technology applications to engage consumers 

These core competencies are focused in two 

market areas — Health Benefi ts and Health Services. 

UnitedHealth Group has more than two dozen distinct 

businesses that address specifi c end markets within 

the benefi ts and services sectors. Each of these 

and simplify the health care experience; the analytic 

use of information to enhance service, quality and 

patient safety; support of science as the cornerstone 

of optimum health care delivery; diversifi cation of 

businesses and product offerings; and, most importantly, 

the provision of value to its customers.

Our family of 
businesses serves:

75 million

individuals

6,200 

hospital facilities

246,000

health care professionals

We coordinate care through 
a national network of:

5,300 

hospitals

730,000 physicians 

and other health care professionals

16

UnitedHealth Group

Health Benefi ts

UnitedHealthcare offers a comprehensive array of health benefi ts products 

and services for every life stage, across the employer-sponsored, Medicare and 

Medicaid, and individual benefi ts markets. The Health Benefi ts platform includes 

three distinct businesses that share systems, networks and one unifi ed brand 

name —UnitedHealthcare—to offer customers broad access to high-quality, 

cost-effective health care at the local level. 

UnitedHealthcare combines practical and measured innovation, consistently 

effective clinical care management, and scale—both geographic and 

technological—to continue to drive improved medical and operating cost 

positions, which are critical to the value provided to customers.

The business is closely aligned with the unique needs of the local communities 

it serves through the largest combined network of health care providers offered 

within a single enterprise.

UnitedHealthcare 
Employer & Individual 
UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual serves 

health benefi t needs of employers ranging from sole 

technology and robust infrastructure. The company’s 

innovative approach to health benefi ts has been 

recognized with Fortune magazine’s 2010 No. 1 ranking 

for innovation in the health insurance and managed 

proprietorships and small businesses to large, multi-

care category.

site and national Fortune 500 employers and public 

sector clients, as well as students and individuals.

UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual has 

consistently promoted new and better ways to 

empower employers, clinicians and people with better 

information to make better health care decisions 

that lead to better health. When people make good 

health decisions, choose the right doctor or hospital, 

or get the right medicine, it also means reduced 

absenteeism, improved productivity and lower costs 

for our employer customers.

The company offers thoughtfully designed products 

and market-leading expertise in consumerism; the 

country’s single largest care provider network, which 

could be conveniently accessed by 98 percent of 

the U.S. population; and award-winning customer 

and client service supported by highly sophisticated 

UnitedHealthcare 
Medicare & Retirement
UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement delivers 

health and well-being benefi ts to 9 million seniors 

in conjunction with AARP across all major product 

categories in virtually every key U.S. market.

Americans over the age of 50 represent the fastest 

growing market segment for health and well-being 

services. UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement 

has a unique market position because of its 

multifaceted and national business scope dedicated to 

senior health care and Medicare, including experience 

with the frail elderly, the Medicare Supplement 

business, Medicare health plans, services for 

individuals with chronic conditions and prescription 

drug programs. The company’s proprietary clinical care 

2010 Summary Annual Report

17

business summary

models and software tools are designed to be effective 

in the community, at home, and in skilled and extended 

care facilities or other settings.

UnitedHealthcare 
Community & State
UnitedHealthcare Community & State serves more 

than 3.3 million people, including nearly 2 million 

children, who receive health coverage through 

Medicaid, Medicare and Children’s Health Insurance 

Health Services

Programs. The company is a leader in helping low-

Optum, UnitedHealth Group’s diversifi ed information 

income adults and children and those with disabilities 

and technology-enabled services business platform, 

get access to quality, personalized health care 

serves the broad health care marketplace and is 

benefi ts and services. 

dedicated to helping make the health care system 

The company has a deep understanding of the 

challenges faced by people who are low-income or 

have special needs, and particular expertise in helping 

them overcome these challenges to improve their 

health and quality of life. UnitedHealthcare 

work better for everyone. Optum’s products and 

services can enable the 14 million people who work in 

the U.S. health system to do their jobs more effectively, 

every day, and can help the nearly 310 million people 

in America improve their health and well-being.

Community & State does this by working closely 

Optum’s businesses work with care providers 

with community-based organizations to help address 

(hospitals, physicians, pharmacy and other health 

cultural or language barriers to members getting the 

care professionals), plan sponsors (employers, 

preventive care or treatment they need. 

health plans, governments), life sciences companies 

UnitedHealthcare Community & State uses the 

Personal Care Model, an innovative approach that 

helps health plan members receive the right care, 

at the right time, in the right place. The Personal Care 

Model involves evaluating the unique health needs of 

members and using a collaborative support network 

(pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices) and 

consumers to achieve a common goal of optimized 

health outcomes, care quality and cost-effectiveness. 

This goal is accomplished by helping connect health 

system participants and providing them actionable 

information at the points of decision-making.

of care managers, physicians and community-based 

Optum’s products and services are among the best in 

organizations to coordinate their care with a focus 

class and can be deployed individually or as integrated 

on preventive services, early intervention and health 

solutions, and when connected end-to-end, enable 

education. This approach is particularly effective 

the health care system to operate more effi ciently and 

for those with serious and chronic illnesses and for 

effectively. The breadth of our Health Services portfolio 

high-risk expectant mothers—situations that require 

is distinctive and allows these businesses to positively 

high-touch care.

impact key activities within the health care system.

18

UnitedHealth Group

OptumHealth
OptumHealth is a national leader in population health 

and wellness services. Employers, health insurance 

and benefi ts payers and public sector organizations 

OptumInsight products and services are purchased 

by 6,200 hospital facilities, 246,000 health care 

professionals or groups, 2,000 payers and 

intermediaries, more than 2,200 life sciences 

use OptumHealth’s behavioral health solutions, clinical 

companies and hundreds of government entities 

care management and fi nancial services. OptumHealth 

including all 50 U.S. states. 

educates consumers, helping them navigate the health 

care system, fi nance their health care needs and better 

achieve their health and well-being goals.

The company is recognized for its work in wellness, 

disease and care management programs, care 

advocacy and decision support services, complex 

condition management, mental health and substance 

abuse management, and employee assistance 

programs. OptumHealth is also a provider of consumer 

health information, private health portals and consumer 

engagement services and health banking services for 

consumers and care providers.

OptumInsight
OptumInsight is a leading health care information, 

technology, services and consulting company, providing 

OptumRx
OptumRx is one of the largest pharmacy benefi ts 

managers in the United States based on total claims 

volume, meeting the pharmacy needs of more than 

12 million Americans. OptumRx provides retail 

pharmacy network claims processing, mail order 

pharmaceuticals and specialty pharmaceuticals 

management, processing nearly 350 million 

adjusted retail, mail service and specialty drug 

prescriptions annually.

The company also provides retail network contracting, 

rebate contracting and management and clinical 

programs, such as step therapy, formulary management 

and disease/drug therapy management programs that 

assist customers in achieving a low-cost, high-quality 

software and services to major participants in the health 

pharmacy benefi t.

care industry. Its clients include physicians, hospitals 

and other care providers, governments, health insurers 

and benefi ts payers and life sciences companies.

Optum’s products and services can enable the 14 million 

people who work in the U.S. health system to do their 

jobs more effectively.

2010 Summary Annual Report

19

business summary

UnitedHealth Center for 
Health Reform & Modernization

UnitedHealth Group Community 
Activities in 2010

Through our Center for Health Reform and 

United Minnesota. The company’s “United Minnesota” 

Modernization we are committed to helping tackle 

initiative is a 10-year, $100 million philanthropic 

the toughest health challenges facing the nation. 

program to create sustainable improvements in health, 

Supplementing the resources and experience of our 

education and well-being in Minnesota. Among other 

enterprise with leading research groups and academic 

activities in 2010, UnitedHealthcare contributed 

teams, the Center assesses and develops innovative 

$17.5 million to enhance trauma care for children 

policies and practical solutions and seeks to share 

across the region by supporting the creation of a 

information with policymakers and the public.

Level I Pediatric Trauma Center at Children’s Hospitals 

In 2010, the Center contributed three major research 

and Clinics of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

reports, which can be downloaded from our website 

Make-A-Wish Foundation®.  In 2010, UnitedHealth 

at unitedhealthgroup.com/reform:

Group renewed its commitment to help bring hope, 

Coverage for Consumers, Savings for States: 

Options for Modernizing Medicaid. The report 

shows how states and the federal government could 

save an estimated $366 billion over the next decade 

by modernizing Medicaid. (April 2010)

U.S. Defi cit Reduction: The Medicare and Medicaid 

Modernization Opportunity. A new study offers 

practical solutions to reduce the growing U.S. budget 

defi cit through Medicare and Medicaid reform, 

strength and joy to children with life-threatening 

medical conditions by pledging $3 million to the 

Make-A-Wish Foundation over the next three years. 

UnitedHealth Group is one of the Foundation’s largest 

national sponsors.

American Heart Association. UnitedHealthcare, in 

2010, committed $1.95 million over three years to the 

American Heart Association to help establish walking 

paths throughout the country.

including practical ways federal and state governments 

United Volunteers. UnitedHealth Group employees 

could save taxpayers about $3.5 trillion over the next 

participated in more than 11,900 volunteer community 

25 years. (October 2010)

projects with an estimated in-kind value of $4 million, 

The United States of Diabetes: Challenges and 

an increase of $1.5 million over 2009. 

Opportunities in the Decade Ahead. Research 

Annual Employee Giving Campaign. UnitedHealth 

indicates that more than 50 percent of Americans 

Group’s annual nationwide giving campaign solicits 

could have diabetes or prediabetes by 2020 at a cost 

employee donations to community charities of their 

of $3.4 trillion over the next decade. This report offers 

choice. Employee pledges and the company-matching 

practical solutions that could improve health and life 

pledge totaled $14 million for 2010, our highest amount 

expectancy, while also saving up to $250 billion over 

to date, up 11 percent over 2009.

the next 10 years. (November 2010) 

Please see our 2010 Social Responsibility Report for 

more information: unitedhealthgroup.com/SR

20

UnitedHealth Group

foundations

United Health Foundation 

The United Health Foundation is a not-for-profi t, private 

UnitedHealthcare 
Children’s Foundation

foundation that provides actionable information to 

Children who have medical needs sometimes lack 

support decisions that lead to better health outcomes 

comprehensive insurance that covers all of their 

and healthier communities. Established by UnitedHealth 

medical treatments. There are few places their families 

Group in 1999, the Foundation has committed more 

can turn for additional funds.

than $187 million to improve health and health care. 

Following are examples of its initiatives:

As a result, far too many children risk going without 

necessary treatment, or they receive needed care 

The United Health Foundation’s America’s Health 

while their families are burdened with large fi nancial 

Rankings® is an annual state-by-state assessment 

obligations. The UnitedHealthcare Children’s 

of the nation’s health. In collaboration with the 

Foundation provides medical grants, up to $5,000, 

American Public Health Association and Partnership 

to help meet this need. 

for Prevention, for more than two decades America’s 

Health Rankings has provided communities and 

individuals with data that has spurred innovative 

thinking and action to strengthen our nation’s health.

Jayden, a 3-year-old from 

South Carolina, was 

diagnosed with three types 

of congenital heart defects 

To increase access to health care for underserved 

at birth. He had heart 

communities, the Foundation’s Community Health 

surgery a few months ago, 

Centers of Excellence initiative supports community 

is recovering quickly and 

clinics that are part of our nation’s health care safety 

his energy level has soared. 

net in New Orleans, Miami, New York City and 

Washington, D.C.

"This grant has meant so 

much to our family and has 

The Foundation’s Diverse Scholars initiative supports 

allowed us to focus on the 

Three-year-old Jayden and 

his family received a grant 

from the UnitedHealthcare 

hundreds of low-income minority students pursuing 

recovery of our son," says 

Children’s Foundation.

degrees in the health fi eld. The goal of the initiative is to 

Jacqueline, Jayden’s mom. 

increase the number of qualifi ed, yet under-represented, 

college graduates entering the health workforce.

In 2010, the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation 

provided 787 medical grants, 75 percent more than 

The Foundation collaborates with health research 

2009. The medical grants are made possible by our 

agencies, medical specialty societies and others to 

generous contributors, which include more than 8,000 

translate science into practice and helps make reliable 

UnitedHealth Group employees, UnitedHealth Group 

medical evidence available to physicians and other care 

and individuals and corporations who believe in this 

providers. Through Advancing Clinical Excellence, the 

mission. www.uhccf.org

United Health Foundation helps physicians and other 

health professionals achieve the best possible health 

outcomes for their patients. 

www.unitedhealthfoundation.org

2010 Summary Annual Report

21

2010 fi nancial results

UnitedHealth Group Highlights

•  UnitedHealth Group revenues increased $7 billion, or 

•  Diluted net earnings per common share were $4.10.

8 percent from 2009, to $94.2 billion in 2010, 

with four business units posting revenue increases of 

more than 10 percent year-over-year.

•  UnitedHealth Group achieved business growth 

across each of its reporting segments and generated 

earnings from operations of $7.9 billion.

•  The Board of Directors moved the company to a 

quarterly dividend payment cycle and raised the 

annual dividend rate to $0.50 per share in May 2010.

The 2010 fi nancial results on pages 22 through 25 

should be read together with the consolidated fi nancial 

statements and notes in the 2010 Annual Report on 

•  Cash fl ows from operations reached nearly 

Form 10-K. The 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K is 

$6.3 billion, representing 135 percent of 2010 

an integral part of this Summary Annual Report.

net earnings.

In millions, except percentages and per share data

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

For the Year Ended December 31,

Consolidated operating results

Revenues

Earnings from operations

Net earnings

$ 71,542

$ 75,431

$ 81,186

$ 87,138

$ 94,155

6,984

4,159

7,849

4,654

5,263

2,977

6,359

3,822

7,864

4,634

Return on shareholders’ equity

22.2%

22.4%

14.9%

17.3%

18.7%

Basic net earnings per common share

Diluted net earnings per common share

Common stock dividends per share

Consolidated cash fl ows from (used for)

Operating activities

Investing activities

Financing activities

$ 3.09

2.97

0.030

$ 6,526 

(2,101)

474

$ 3.55

3.42

0.030

$ 5,877

(4,147)

(3,185)

$ 2.45

2.40

0.030

$ 4,238

(5,072)

(605)

$ 3.27

3.24

0.030

$ 4.14

4.10

0.405

$ 5,625

 $ 6,273

(976)

(2,275)

(5,339)

(1,611)

Consolidated fi nancial condition (As of December 31)

Cash and investments

Total assets

Total commercial paper and long-term debt

Shareholders’ equity

Debt-to-total-capital ratio

$ 20,582

$ 22,286

$ 21,575

 $ 24,350

 $ 25,902

48,320

7,456

20,810

50,899

11,009

20,063

55,815

12,794

20,780

59,045

11,173

23,606

63,063

11,142

25,825

26.4%

35.4%

38.1%

32.1%

30.1%

22

UnitedHealth Group

Revenues

(in millions)

Earnings from 

Operations

(in millions)

Operating Margin

$94,155

$87,138

$81,186

$6,984

$71,542 $75,431

$7,849

$7,864

10.4%

9.8%

$6,359

$5,263

8.4%

7.3%

6.5%

06

07

08

09

10

06

07

08

09

10

06

07

08

09

10

Cash Flows from 

Operations

(in millions)

Diluted Earnings 

per Share

Cash Dividend 

per Share of 

Common Stock

$6,526

$5,877

$6,273

$5,625

$4,238

$3.42

$2.97

$3.24

$2.40

$4.10

$0.405

06

07

08

09

10

06

07

08

09

10

06

07

08

09

10

$0.03

$0.03

$0.03

$0.03

2010 Summary Annual Report

23

2010 fi nancial results

UnitedHealthcare Highlights
(includes UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual, Medicare & Retirement and Community & State)

•  For full year 2010, UnitedHealthcare revenue of $87.4 billion increased $6.1 billion, or 8 percent, year-over-year. The UnitedHealthcare businesses 

provided services to more than 37 million people at year-end, a net increase of 1.2 million people during the year. 

•   UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual revenues of $41.2 billion grew by 1 percent in 2010. This business grew to serve 24.8 million individuals 

in 2010, an increase of 185,000 people during the year.

•  UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement revenues of $35.9 billion increased 12 percent compared to 2009, driven by an increase of 600,000 customers 

in UnitedHealthcare’s primary senior market offerings—including growth of 280,000 seniors in Medicare Advantage products, 90,000 in active Medicare 

Supplement offerings, and 230,000 in stand-alone Part D prescription drug plans. At year-end, the company served 9 million seniors. 

•  UnitedHealthcare Community & State revenues of $10.4 billion in 2010 increased by $2 billion, or 24 percent, year-over-year primarily due to strong 

organic growth in individuals served. The business grew its risk-based Medicaid programs by 420,000 individuals and served more than 3.3 million 

people in 24 markets at year-end. 

Optum Highlights
The Optum businesses—OptumHealth, OptumInsight and OptumRx—increased their combined revenues by 15 percent to $25 billion in 2010.

OptumHealth

•  OptumHealth revenues of $5.8 billion increased $321 million, or 6 percent, over 2009 primarily due to new business development in large scale 

public sector care management and behavioral health programs, and increased sales of benefi ts and services to external employer markets, 

partially offset by a decline in revenues from the sale of internal commercial products and the loss of some smaller specialty benefi ts customers. 

•  OptumHealth Financial Services grew its connectivity network to more than 540,000 physicians and care providers in 2010 and electronically 

transmitted more than $43 billion in medical payments to them, a year-over-year increase of 22 percent. Assets under management in health-linked 

savings and investment accounts reached $1.1 billion, an increase of 28 percent over 2009.

OptumInsight

• OptumInsight provided services in more than 70 countries and serves virtually every category of participant in the U.S. health system. 

•  Revenues for OptumInsight increased $518 million, or 28 percent, during 2010 to $2.3 billion primarily due to acquisitions and organic growth in 

health information technology offerings and services focused on cost and data management and regulatory compliance. OptumInsight operating 

margin was 3.6 percent (12.1 percent* excluding goodwill impairment and business line disposition charges related to certain i3 branded 

clinical trial service businesses).

•  The OptumInsight contract revenue backlog grew by 57 percent during 2010 to $2.8 billion, driven by acquisition-related backlog expansion 

and organic growth. The backlog does not include approximately $500 million for the portion of the i3 business that is being divested.

OptumRx

•  OptumRx 2010 revenues of $16.8 billion grew $2.3 billion, or 16 percent, year-over-year due to strong growth in consumers served 

through Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.

•  During the year, OptumRx processed nearly 350 million adjusted scripts for 12.3 million individuals. 

•  Generic prescriptions reached 73.2 percent of all scripts fi lled by OptumRx by the fourth quarter 2010, an increase of 350 basis points 

year-over-year. The expanded use of generics increases the affordability of health care and also increases earnings from operations at OptumRx.

*See page 26 for a reconciliation of adjusted operating margin, which is a non-GAAP fi nancial measure, to operating margin.

24

UnitedHealth Group

Revenues

(in millions)

Earnings From 

Operating Margin

Operations

(in millions)

UnitedHealthcare

$67,817 $71,199 $75,857

$87,442

$81,341

$6,595

$5,860

$6,636

9.3%

8.6%

$5,068 $4,788

7.6%

6.7%

5.9%

06

07

08

09

10

06

07

08

09

10

06

07

08

09

10

Optum (combined)

$19,474 $19,350

$9,382

$24,966

$21,803

$1,571

$1,430

$1,310

$1,228

$1,124

12.0%

7.3% 6.8% 7.2%

4.9%

06

07

08

09

10

06

07

08

09

10

06

07

08

09

10

OptumHealth

$4,921 $5,225 $5,528

$5,849

$895

$809

$4,342

$718

$636

$610

18.6% 18.2%

13.7%

11.5%

10.4%

06

07

08

09

10

06

07

08

09

10

06

07

08

09

10

OptumInsight 

$1,552

$1,304

$956

$2,341

$1,823

$176

$266

$246

$229

20.4%

18.4%

14.8%

13.5%

12.1%*

$84

06

07

08

09

10

06

07

08

09

10

06

07

08

09

10

OptumRx

$16,776

$13,249 $12,573

$14,452

$689

$534

$4,084

$363

$269

$139

4.8%

3.2%

3.4%

2.9%

2.0%

06

07

08

09

10

06

07

08

09

10

06

07

08

09

10

*See page 26 for a reconciliation of adjusted operating margin, which is a non-GAAP fi nancial measure, to operating margin.

2010 Summary Annual Report

25

non-GAAP reconciliation and disclaimer

Non-GAAP Reconciliation 

UNITEDHEALTH GROUP

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

OptumInsight Results Excluding Special Items

(in millions, except percentages)

Year Ended December 31, 2010

Consolidated 
GAAP 
Reporting

Non-GAAP 
Reconciling 
Items (a)

Operating 
Results Excluding 
Non-GAAP 
Reconciling Items

$ 84

$ 200

$ 284

 3.6%

 8.5%

 12.1%

OptumInsight
Earnings from 
Operations

OptumInsight
Operating Margin

(a)  Includes a total of $200 million in goodwill impairment and business 

line disposition charges.

Forward-Looking Statements 

This Summary Annual Report may contain statements, estimates, 
projections, guidance or outlook that constitute “forward-looking” 
statements as defi ned under U.S. federal securities laws. Generally 
the words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” 
“plan,” “project,” “should” and similar expressions identify forward-
looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature. These 
statements may contain information about fi nancial prospects, economic 
conditions, trends and uncertainties and involve risks and uncertainties. 
We caution that actual results could differ materially from those that 
management expects, depending on the outcome of certain factors. 

Some factors that could cause results to differ materially from the 
forward-looking statements include: our ability to effectively estimate, 
price for and manage our medical costs, including the impact of any 
new coverage requirements; the potential impact that new laws 
or regulations, or changes in existing laws or regulations, or their 
enforcement or application could have on our results of operations, 
fi nancial position and cash fl ows, including as a result of increases in 
medical, administrative, technology or other costs resulting from 
federal and state regulations affecting the health care industry; the 
ultimate impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 
which could materially adversely affect our fi nancial position and results 
of operations through reduced revenues, increased costs, new taxes and 
expanded liability, or require changes to the ways in which we conduct 
business or put us at risk for loss of business; uncertainties regarding 
changes in Medicare, including potential changes in risk adjustment 
data validation audit and payment adjustment methodology; potential 
reductions in revenue received from Medicare and Medicaid programs; 
failure to comply with restrictions on patient privacy and data security 
regulations; regulatory and other risks and uncertainties associated with 
the pharmacy benefi ts management industry; competitive pressures, 
which could affect our ability to maintain or increase our market share; 

2010 OptumInsight earnings from operations and operating margins 
excluding special items as used in this Summary Annual Report are 
not calculated in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered 
substitutes for or superior to fi nancial measures calculated in accordance 
with GAAP. Management believes that the use of non-GAAP fi nancial 
measures improves the comparability of our results between periods. These 
fi nancial measures provide investors and our management with useful 
information to measure and forecast our results of operations, to compare 
on a consistent basis our results of operations for the current period to 
that of prior periods, and to compare our results of operations on a more 
consistent basis against that of other companies in the health care industry.

These non-GAAP fi nancial measures have limitations in that they do 
not refl ect all of the special items associated with the operations of our 
business as determined in accordance with GAAP. As a result, one should 
not consider these measures in isolation. We compensate for these 
limitations by analyzing current and future results on a GAAP basis as 
well as non-GAAP basis, disclosing these GAAP fi nancial measures, and 
providing a reconciliation from GAAP to non-GAAP fi nancial measures.

the potential impact of adverse economic conditions on our revenues 
(including decreases in enrollment resulting from increases in the 
unemployment rate and commercial attrition) and results of operations; 
our ability to execute contracts on competitive terms with physicians, 
hospitals and other service professionals; our ability to attract, retain 
and provide support to a network of independent third party brokers, 
consultants and agents; events that may negatively affect our contracts 
with AARP; increases in costs and other liabilities associated with 
increased litigation, government investigations, audits or reviews; 
the performance of our investment portfolio; possible impairment of 
the value of our intangible assets in connection with dispositions or 
if future results do not adequately support goodwill and intangible 
assets recorded for our existing businesses or the businesses that we 
acquire; increases in health care costs resulting from large-scale medical 
emergencies; failure to maintain effective and effi cient information 
systems or if our technology products do not operate as intended; 
misappropriation of our proprietary technology; our ability to obtain 
suffi cient funds from our regulated subsidiaries to fund our obligations; 
the potential impact of our future cash and capital requirements on 
our ability to maintain our quarterly dividend payment cycle; failure 
to complete or receive anticipated benefi ts of acquisitions; potential 
downgrades in our credit ratings; and failure to achieve targeted 
operating cost productivity improvements, including savings resulting 
from technology enhancement and administrative modernization.

This list of important factors is not intended to be exhaustive. A further 
list and description of some of these risks and uncertainties can be found 
in our reports fi led with the Securities and Exchange Commission from 
time to time, including the cautionary statements in our annual reports 
on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on 
Form 8-K. Any or all forward-looking statements we make may turn out 
to be wrong. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking 
statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. We do not 
undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

26

UnitedHealth Group

offi cers and directors

Offi cers and Leaders 

Stephen J. Hemsley 
President and 
Chief Executive Offi cer 

Gail K. Boudreaux 
Executive Vice President, 
UnitedHealth Group
and Chief Executive Offi cer, 
UnitedHealthcare 

G. Mike Mikan 
Executive Vice President, 
UnitedHealth Group
and Chief Executive Offi cer, 
Optum

William A. Munsell 
Executive Vice President

Don Nathan 
Senior Vice President and
Chief Communications Offi cer 

John S. Penshorn 
Senior Vice President, 
Capital Markets Communications 
and Strategy 

Eric S. Rangen 
Senior Vice President 
and Chief Accounting Offi cer 

Larry C. Renfro 
Executive Vice President 

Jeannine M. Rivet 
Executive Vice President 

Simon Stevens 
Executive Vice President 
and President, 
Global Health 

Lori K. Sweere 
Executive Vice President, 
Human Capital 

Reed V. Tuckson, M.D. 
Executive Vice President 
and Chief of Medical Affairs 

Christopher J. Walsh
Executive Vice President 
and General Counsel

Anthony Welters 
Executive Vice President

David S. Wichmann 
Executive Vice President 
and Chief Financial Offi cer, 
UnitedHealth Group
and President, 
UnitedHealth Group Operations 

Mitchell E. Zamoff 
Executive Vice President 
and General Counsel

Board of Directors 

William C. Ballard, Jr. 
Former Of Counsel, 
Greenebaum Doll & 
McDonald PLLC 

Richard T. Burke 
Non-Executive Chairman, 
UnitedHealth Group 

Robert J. Darretta 
Retired Vice Chairman 
and Chief Financial Offi cer, 
Johnson & Johnson 

Stephen J. Hemsley 
President and 
Chief Executive Offi cer, 
UnitedHealth Group 

Michele J. Hooper 
President and 
Chief Executive Offi cer,
The Directors’ Council

Rodger A. Lawson
Retired President
and Chief Executive Offi cer,
Fidelity Investments –
Financial Services 

Douglas W. Leatherdale 
Retired Chairman 
and Chief Executive Offi cer, 
The St. Paul Companies, Inc. 

Glenn M. Renwick 
President and 
Chief Executive Offi cer, 
The Progressive Corporation 

Kenneth I. Shine, M.D. 
Executive Vice Chancellor 
for Health Affairs, 
The University of Texas System 

Gail R. Wilensky, Ph.D. 
Senior Fellow, 
Project HOPE 

Audit Committee 

William C. Ballard, Jr., Chair 
Robert J. Darretta 
Glenn M. Renwick 

Nominating and Corporate 
Governance Committee 

Michele J. Hooper, Chair 
William C. Ballard, Jr. 
Douglas W. Leatherdale 

Compensation and 
Human Resources Committee

Douglas W. Leatherdale, Chair
Robert J. Darretta
Gail R. Wilensky, Ph.D.

Public Policy Strategies 
and Responsibility Committee

Gail R. Wilensky, Ph.D., Chair
Michele J. Hooper
Kenneth I. Shine, M.D.

2010 Summary Annual Report

27

investor information

Market price of common stock

Investor relations

The following table shows the range of high and low 

You can contact UnitedHealth Group Investor 

sales prices for the company’s common stock as 

Relations to order, without charge, fi nancial 

reported by the New York Stock Exchange, where 

documents such as the Annual Report on 

it trades under the symbol UNH. These prices do 

Form 10-K and the Summary Annual Report.

not include commissions or fees associated with 

purchasing or selling this security.

You can write to us at:

Investor Relations, MN008-T930

2011
First Quarter
(through February 9, 2011) 

2010
First Quarter 
Second Quarter 
Third Quarter 
Fourth Quarter  

2009
First Quarter 
Second Quarter 
Third Quarter 
Fourth Quarter  

high 

low

UnitedHealth Group

P.O. Box 1459

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440-1459

$44.09 

$36.37

$36.07 
$34.00 
$35.94 
$38.06 

$30.25 
$29.69 
$30.00 
$33.25 

$30.97
$27.97
$27.13
$33.94

$16.18
$19.85
$23.69
$23.50

You can also obtain information about UnitedHealth 

Group and its businesses, including fi nancial 

documents, online at www.unitedhealthgroup.com.

Annual meeting

We invite UnitedHealth Group shareholders to 

attend our annual meeting, which will be held on 

Monday, May 23, 2011, 10:00 a.m. Pacifi c Time 

at the following location:

Anthony Marlon Auditorium

As of February 4, 2011, the company had 17,563 shareholders of record.

UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group company 

2700 North Tenaya Way

Las Vegas, Nevada

You will need to bring your admission card with 

you to the annual meeting in order to be admitted.

Common stock dividends

In May 2010, our Board of Directors increased our 

cash dividend to shareholders and moved us to a 

quarterly dividend payment cycle of $0.125 per share. 

Declaration and payment of future quarterly dividends 

is at the discretion of the Board and may be adjusted 

as business needs or market conditions change. Prior 

to May 2010, our policy had been to pay an annual 

dividend of $0.030 per share.

Shareholder account questions

Our transfer agent, Wells Fargo Shareowner Services, 

can help you with a variety of shareholder-related 

services, including:

• Change of address

• Lost stock certifi cates

• Transfer of stock to another person

• Additional administrative services

You can write to them at:

Wells Fargo Shareowner Services

P.O. Box 64854

St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0854

Or you can call our transfer agent toll free at 

(800) 468-9716 or locally at (651) 450-4064.

You can e-mail our transfer agent at:

stocktransfer@wellsfargo.com

28

UnitedHealth Group

 
Our Mission
Our Mission

Our mission is to help people live healthier lives. Our role is to help make health care work for everyone. 
Our mission is to help people live healthier lives. Our role is to help make health care work for everyone. 

We seek to enhance the 
We seek to enhance the 

We work with health care 
We work with health care 

We support the physician/
We support the physician/

performance of the health 
performance of the health 

professionals and other key 
professionals and other key 

patient relationship and 
patient relationship and 

system and improve the 
system and improve the 

partners to expand access to 
partners to expand access to 

empower people with the 
empower people with the 

overall health and well-being 
overall health and well-being 

quality health care so people 
quality health care so people 

information, guidance and tools 
information, guidance and tools 

of the people we serve and 
of the people we serve and 

get the care they need at an 
get the care they need at an 

they need to make personal 
they need to make personal 

their communities.
their communities.

affordable price. 
affordable price. 

health choices and decisions.
health choices and decisions.

Our Culture 

The people of this company are aligned around basic 

other health care professionals, hospitals and the 

values that inspire our behavior as individuals and  

individual consumers of health care. Trust is earned 

as an institution: 

Integrity. We are dedicated to the highest levels of 

personal and institutional integrity. We make honest 

commitments and work to consistently honor those 

commitments. We do not compromise ethics. We 

and preserved through truthfulness, integrity, active 

engagement and collaboration with our colleagues  

and clients. We encourage the variety of thoughts  

and perspectives that reflect the diversity of our 

markets, customers and workforce.

strive to deliver on our promises and we have the 

Innovation. We pursue a course of continuous, 

courage to acknowledge mistakes and do whatever  

positive and practical innovation, using our deep 

is needed to address them.

experience in health care to be thoughtful advocates 

Compassion. We try to walk in the shoes of the 

people we serve and the people we work with across 

the health care community. Our job is to listen with 

empathy and then respond appropriately and quickly 

of change and to use the insights we gain to invent 

a better future that will make the health care 

environment work and serve everyone more fairly, 

productively and consistently.

with service and advocacy for each individual, each 

Performance. We are committed to deliver and 

group or community and for society as a whole. We 

demonstrate excellence in everything we do. We 

celebrate our role in serving people and society in an 

will be accountable and responsible for consistently 

area so vitally human as their health. 

delivering high-quality and superior results that make 

Relationships. We build trust through cultivating 

relationships and working in productive collabo ration 

with government, employers, physicians, nurses and 

a difference in the lives of the people we touch. We 

continue to challenge ourselves to strive for even 

better outcomes in all key performance areas. 

2010 Summary Annual Report

29

UnitedHealth Group Center
9900 Bren Road East
Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343

unitedhealthgroup.com

100-10349 4/11