UnitedHealthcare’s Mission, Culture, Core Values, and Code of Ethics Essay

Purpose of the memo

This memo aims to provide current information about UnitedHealthcare’s mission, culture, core values, and code of ethics. Additionally, it covers our leadership strategies for promoting legal and ethical compliance and addresses potential ethical issues we may face and recommendations to strengthen legal and ethical compliance.

Name and description of the organization

UnitedHealthcare is a for-profit managed healthcare organization headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota. It is a division of the United Health Group and the biggest health carrier in the country. In addition to services for military people and their families, Medicare and Medicaid recipients, and employers, UnitedHealthcare provides a variety of health insurance plans for individuals, families, and businesses. The corporation also provides health insurance and services to individuals via its subsidiaries, such as Optum and UnitedHealthcare Community & State (UnitedHealth Group, n.d.). By providing insurance coverage to millions of individuals and collaborating with hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare providers to enhance the quality and effectiveness of treatment, UnitedHealthcare plays a vital role in the American healthcare system.

Description of the organizational culture

UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to improving the lives and health of others through its shared goal. The company strives to enhance affordability, accessibility, and quality of care for millions of people and to shape the future of health care. At UnitedHealthcare, honesty, constructive participation, and cooperation are valued, and employees are encouraged to be creative and challenge the status quo. When joining the company, individuals become part of a supportive and honest community that values diversity and uniqueness.

Mission, code of ethics, and core values of the organization

UnitedHealthcare’s mission is to improve the efficiency of the healthcare system and promote the overall health and well-being of patients and their families. To improve access to quality health care, the company works with healthcare providers and other key stakeholders to ensure patients receive the care they deserve at a reasonable cost. UnitedHealthcare values the physician-patient relationship and encourages individuals to make informed health decisions with the necessary knowledge, advice, and resources. The company is committed to upholding the highest level of honesty and integrity and acting ethically (UnitedHealth Group, n.d.). It is also compassionate, empathizing with patients and working to support them and society. Further, UnitedHealthcare builds trust by fostering partnerships and engaging in constructive collaboration with various stakeholders. Consequently, it is innovative, using its expertise in healthcare to drive reform and envision a new future for the healthcare system that serves everyone more fairly, efficiently, and effectively (UnitedHealth Group, n.d.). The company is also committed to achieving and demonstrating success in all its endeavors and delivering consistently high-quality and superior outcomes that positively impact people’s lives.

Leadership strategies to promote legal and ethical compliance

Leadership strategies that could promote legal and ethical compliance in the organization include; developing and communicating a code of conduct: A code of conduct is a set of guidelines that outlines the company’s expectations for ethical behavior. By creating and communicating a code of conduct, leaders can set clear legal and ethical behavior standards and provide employees with a resource to refer to when making decisions. Provide training and education: Providing training and education on legal and ethical issues can help employees understand the importance of compliance and how to identify and address potential compliance risks. This could include training on confidentiality, data privacy, and workplace harassment. Fostering a culture of transparency: Encouraging transparency and open communication can help promote a culture of compliance. Leaders can encourage employees to speak up about concerns or potential compliance risks and demonstrate their commitment to transparency by being open and transparent. Establishing a compliance program: A compliance program is a system of policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with laws and regulations. By establishing a compliance program, leaders can demonstrate their commitment to compliance and provide employees with a framework for making ethical decisions.

Legal and ethical issues

Megan Haefner, a writer for Becker’s Payer Issues, reports that Cigna’s Mental Health and UnitedHealthcare Divisions have been the target of four class-action lawsuits alleging that the insurers conspired with a third-party company to underpay treatments to bill clients millions of dollars potentially (Haefner, 2020). The lawsuit, filed by the legal firm Napoli Shkolnik, accuses Cigna Behavioral Health and United Behavioral Health of aggressively limiting drug misuse and mental health treatment rates to out-of-network outpatient services by employing Viant as an intermediate organization (Haefner, 2020). According to Haefner (2020), the lawsuit claims that providers receive less than 5% of what they are entitled to receive.

Recommendations to strengthen legal and ethical compliance

1. Implement a reporting system for ethical concerns: A confidential hotline or an online system that allows employees to report concerns anonymously (Vigus, 2022). By providing a safe and confidential way for employees to report ethical concerns, UnitedHealthcare can encourage a culture of transparency and encourage employees to speak up about potential issues.
2. Review and update policies and procedures: This could include reviewing policies on data privacy, workplace harassment, and confidentiality (Vigus, 2022). By regularly reviewing and updating its policies, UnitedHealthcare can ensure that it complies with current laws and regulations.
3. Establish a compliance committee: According to Vigus (2022), the compliance committee will oversee compliance efforts and ensure that the company meets its legal and ethical obligations through review and policy updates.

References

Haefner, M. (2020). UnitedHealthcare and Cigna sued for allegedly underpaying behavioral health claims. Web.

UnitedHealth Group. (n.d.). Mission & Values. Web.

Vigus, C. (2022). How to promote ethical leadership. USB. Web.