UnitedHealth Group CEO Sir Andrew Witty said the company has built telehealth strategies to reduce wasteful spending and meet the need for more behavioral healthcare, The Wall Street Journal reported May 19.
Mr. Witty was speaking as part of the Journal's Future of Everything Festival. He said telehealth visits for behavioral healthcare are particularly popular, adding that those services help address the lack of behavioral health providers nationwide.
UnitedHealth markets a plan to employers with lower premiums that require patients to seek a virtual visit before seeking in-person treatment, according to the report. Mr. Witty said the plan seeks to better coordinate care to get better results.
Mr. Witty was asked how the company is preparing for possible changes to abortion access laws following an anticipated U.S. Supreme Court decision. He declined to give specifics, according to the report.
"Firstly, and most importantly, before we really commit and say anything, we’re going to wait until we see whatever any final ruling actually is rather than comment on a kind of current situation," he said. "Obviously we’re using this time to really make sure we’re ready for any eventuality."