Becker's Healthcare November 7, 2025
UnitedHealthcare pays Optum physicians 17% more than comparable non-Optum physicians, a November study published in Health Affairs found.
The study used CMS Payer Price Transparency data, analyzing 385,434 price observations across 21,458 physician practices in 28 U.S. metropolitan areas.
Here are 10 things to know:
1. According to the study, UHC pays Optum-owned physician practices 17% more than what its rival insurers pay Optum, relative to what they pay non-Optum practices. In markets where UHC has 25% or more market share, this relative difference surges to 61%.
2. UnitedHealth Group made $400 billion in 2024 revenue, of which Optum generated $253 billion. However, 60% of Optum’s revenue was from internal business with UHC, not external customers, highlighting massive intercompany...
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