Dan Kueter is the CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s employer and individual insurance business, an $80 billion division and the nation’s largest company that offers health coverage to employers nationwide.
Mr. Kueter has been with the company since 2001 and has served in a variety of leadership positions up until being named CEO in 2022. He joined the Becker’s Payer Issues podcast to discuss new offerings from the company and the latest trends in the industry. The following is an excerpt from the conversation.
Question: UnitedHealthcare just launched the UHC Store. How do you see this new offering changing the way employers and your members interact with their health benefits?
Dan Kueter: This is a new direct-to-consumer digital shopping experience. The goal is to help consumers improve customization of their benefit plan in a very consumer-friendly, tech-enabled experience. The store is now available to 6 million members, and we expect it will be available to 18 million members by the end of the year. It’s available through our app and at myuhc.com.
Offerings inside the store include popular weight loss programs, orthopedic management apps, women’s and mental health solutions, resources for family planning, and more.
It’s one more example of how we’re listening to the market, our members, employers and distribution channels to bring more customization to consumers and allow them to make choices that best fit their needs. These are solutions people have heard of, and we’re trying to bring together the best the healthcare marketplace has to offer and integrate that into their benefits program.
Q: UnitedHealth Group now has more than 1,000 AI use cases in production across the enterprise. In the commercial business, where are you seeing the biggest impact on member experience and cost management?
DK: The responsible use of AI holds tremendous promise to simplify and create value in what is a complex American healthcare system. We’re using AI in a number of ways.
For example, with Optum and other partners, we’ve developed applications to provide more seamless and faster interactions with our advocates. When a member calls in or uses an AI chatbot, tens of millions of AI-enabled searches now help with finding a doctor, inquiring about a claim or determining deductible status. At the same time, AI helps our agents be more responsive by pulling forward recommended answers and anticipating the next question.
Another area is our Smart Choice provider search capability, which leverages AI to deliver a more personalized experience. Members can sort providers by quality, benefits, convenience factors like schedule or proximity, as well as personal preferences like language or gender. We also use AI to provide “members like you” guidance, showing choices that others with similar profiles have made. As AI gains more data, predictive capabilities will improve to deliver richer, faster and more seamless experiences that feel more like retail.
Q: Employers are bracing for healthcare cost increases of 6% to 10% next year. What are you hearing most consistently from your large employer clients today?
DK: Customers are most interested in affordability, followed by simplicity. Employers are concerned about rising costs, and while 6% to 10% is common, in some places it will be higher. There’s always geographic variation and employer-specific factors.
Costs have been elevated for a few years, and it looks like they will continue rising, possibly accelerating in 2026. Increases in the cost of medications and healthcare products and services impact employers, insurers and government programs like Medicare. Specialty drugs are a big driver, both from price increases and increased adoption of expensive drugs replacing cheaper ones. Chronic conditions and behavioral health utilization are also contributing.
Behavioral health spending increased during COVID-19 and remains elevated, so we work hard to enable access. Some costs are up due to high drug prices, while others reflect necessary care. We negotiate with manufacturers, balance provider payments, ensure access, and use technology to align consumer needs with the right level of care. For example, not everyone needs a psychiatrist — many can see a counselor or use digital tools. Aligning resources with needs helps manage costs.
Q: How are you balancing the employer demand for access to GLP-1s with the need for long-term sustainability in plan design and cost trends?
DK: Nearly every employer asks us about GLP-1s. Demand at the current price point outpaces employers’ ability to cover costs. At upwards of $1,000 per patient per month, with high demand and high eligibility in some populations, broad coverage is unaffordable.
We work with employers to develop comprehensive weight-loss solutions. That includes helping them set criteria for GLP-1 coverage and building holistic programs that combine medications with clinical and behavioral support. We’ve developed the Total Weight Support program to encourage whole-person approaches beyond just the medication.
It’s a difficult decision for employers. Some insurers and employers have adopted broad coverage and then stepped back. This continues to evolve. I’m encouraged by the potential for more GLP-1 options, such as pill forms and more manufacturers entering the market, which I think will help lower costs. Broad adoption at affordable prices will require more treatment options, more manufacturers and more delivery mechanisms.
In the meantime, comprehensive approaches, continued manufacturer negotiations and informed decision-making with employers are the path forward. The full book on GLP-1s still has many chapters to be written, but I’m optimistic that in several years we’ll be able to offer broader adoption at more affordable prices.
