Growing enrollment, Optum Health propel UnitedHealth in 2Q

By TOM MURPHY
AP Health Writer

UnitedHealth Group hiked its 2022 forecast Friday after riding both growing health insurance enrollment and its newer care-providing businesses to a better-than-expected second quarter. The health care giant said a nearly 9% surge in Medicare Advantage customers pushed its total enrollment past 51 million people. UnitedHealth Group runs UnitedHealthcare, one of the nation’s largest insurers. But it also has been investing for several years now in its Optum segment, which provides care, manages prescription plans and offers technology support. Revenue from that segment grew 18% to about $45.1 billion in the quarter