UnitedHealthcare employer health plans in California
Who UnitedHealthcare insures among California employers and what those plans pay in premium and broker compensation, and what the UnitedHealthcare network pays physicians and hospitals.
UnitedHealthcare employer health plans in California at a glance
What the data shows
UnitedHealthcare insures 849 employer health plans in California (13% of 6,525 insured large plans), 6th of 8 carrier groups; Kaiser Permanente (3,845), Anthem (Elevance Health) (1,448) hold more.
The UnitedHealthcare book in California has held steady since 2020 (864 plans then).
Most of these plans cover 100–499 people (418 plans); 95 cover 1,000 or more.
Median premium per person covered was $6,155, 19% below the California all-carrier median of $7,612. Benefit design and group mix differ, so this is not a price comparison.
85% of these plans reported broker or agent pay on their UnitedHealthcare contracts; where paid, the median was 5.2% of premium (middle half 4.3%–6.1%).
In UnitedHealthcare Choice, 34 of the 50 Employer 50 services have a California benchmark, at a median of 142% of Medicare across those services.
At California hospitals, UnitedHealthcare's commercial rates run higher than other carriers' at the same hospital for 5 of 17 services; a hip or knee replacement stay has a median rate of $20,934 across 26 hospitals.
UnitedHealthcare plans in California, 2020–2024
| Form year | Plans | Persons covered | Share of state | Median premium / person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 864 | 404,329 | 13% | $5,768 |
| 2021 | 906 | 483,075 | 14% | $5,324 |
| 2022 | 966 | 452,746 | 15% | $5,419 |
| 2023 | 952 | 461,572 | 14% | $6,060 |
| 2024 | 849 | 431,887 | 13% | $6,155 |
| 2025 (partial) | 580 | 380,696 | 13% | $6,283 |
Plan size
| Persons covered | Plans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 100 | 197 | 23% |
| 100–499 | 418 | 49% |
| 500–999 | 137 | 16% |
| 1,000–4,999 | 89 | 10% |
| 5,000 or more | 6 | 1% |
Premiums and broker pay
| Measure | UnitedHealthcare | All carriers, California |
|---|---|---|
| Median premium per person covered | $6,155 | $7,612 |
| Premium per person, middle half | $4,303–$8,654 | $5,825–$9,721 |
| Plans reporting broker or agent pay | 85% | 84% |
| Median broker pay, % of premium | 5.2% | 5.0% |
| Broker pay, middle half | 4.3%–6.1% | 4.0%–5.8% |
| Median broker pay per person covered | $301 | $354 |
Industries
UnitedHealthcare's California employer clients are concentrated in professional and technical services (147 plans) and manufacturing (138), followed by health care and social assistance (93).
| Industry | Plans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Professional and technical services | 147 | 17% |
| Manufacturing | 138 | 16% |
| Health care and social assistance | 93 | 11% |
| Retail trade | 66 | 8% |
| Finance and insurance | 58 | 7% |
| Construction | 52 | 6% |
UnitedHealthcare employer clients in California
836 employers in California have a UnitedHealthcare major-medical contract, 95 of them covering 1,000 or more people. For each one Medlyze has the plan year, the broker on each contract and what that broker was paid, and compiles the list for a state, an industry or a single employer on request.
| Employer | Persons covered | Plan year ends | Broker | Broker pay, % of premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employer name | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Employer name | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Employer name | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
Brokers: request the UnitedHealthcare Prospect List for California →
What the UnitedHealthcare network pays physicians in California
| Service | Code | Median | Middle half | % of Medicare | Other networks, median | Provider groups |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic heart catheterization with coronary angiography | 93458 | $334 | $292–$465 | 116% | $377 | 27 |
| Echocardiogram, transthoracic complete with Doppler | 93306 | $95 | $72–$176 | 141% | $78 | 86 |
| Electrocardiogram (EKG), complete | 93000 | $25 | $18–$40 | 162% | $25 | 59 |
| Nuclear stress test (SPECT myocardial perfusion) | 78452 | $82 | $69–$191 | 111% | $89 | 86 |
| Treadmill stress test, complete | 93015 | $95 | $74–$189 | 130% | $111 | 65 |
| Skin biopsy, single lesion (tangential) | 11102 | $112 | $84–$201 | 117% | $196 | 102 |
| Colonoscopy (diagnostic, with biopsy, with polyp removal) | 45385 | $354 | $282–$552 | 159% | $336 | 37 |
| Upper GI endoscopy (diagnostic, with biopsy) | 43239 | $289 | $194–$400 | 234% | $165 | 26 |
| Cataract removal with lens implant | 66984 | $600 | $463–$921 | 130% | $716 | 96 |
| Abdominal ultrasound, complete | 76700 | $161 | $125–$251 | 141% | $157 | 163 |
| Bone density scan (DXA), axial | 77080 | $62 | $44–$94 | 158% | $86 | 163 |
| CT abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $427 | $335–$665 | 142% | $407 | 162 |
| CT chest without contrast | 71250 | $234 | $170–$350 | 176% | $263 | 163 |
| Chest X-ray, 2 views | 71046 | $43 | $33–$67 | 129% | $39 | 163 |
| MRI brain without and with contrast | 70553 | $593 | $397–$958 | 187% | $611 | 163 |
Professional fee only: facility, implant and anesthesia charges are not included. Limited: rates come from a sample of providers, and groups are counted only in specialties that perform the service.
What the UnitedHealthcare network pays hospitals in California
UnitedHealthcare commercial rates are on record at 50 California hospitals (the hospitals covered so far, not every hospital). Compared at the same hospitals, UnitedHealthcare's rate is higher than the other carriers' median for 5 of 17 services and lower for 9. For Emergency visit, level 4, the rate runs from $1,254 to $21,035 across 12 hospitals.
This page shows 3 of the 17 services in full. The other rates, the size of each gap and every hospital's prices are in the Plan Cost Benchmark.
| Service | Hospitals | Median rate | Range (P10–P90) | vs other carriers, same hospitals | Cash price, median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hip or knee replacement (hospital stay) | 26 | $20,934 | $18,531–$43,885 | About the same | $31,982 |
| C-section delivery (hospital stay) | 28 | Locked | Locked | About the same | Locked |
| Vaginal delivery (hospital stay) | 27 | Locked | Locked | About the same | Locked |
| MRI, lower back | 10 | $518 | $274–$518 | Lower | $6,959 |
| MRI, knee | 8 | Locked | Locked | Lower | Locked |
| CT, head | 11 | Locked | Locked | Lower | Locked |
| CT, abdomen and pelvis | 11 | Locked | Locked | Lower | Locked |
| Screening mammogram | 9 | Locked | Locked | Lower | Locked |
| Colonoscopy, diagnostic | 13 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| Upper GI endoscopy with biopsy | 12 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| Knee arthroscopy | 12 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| Cataract surgery | 12 | Locked | Locked | Lower | Locked |
| Gallbladder removal, laparoscopic | 13 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| Knee replacement, outpatient | 13 | Locked | Locked | Higher | Locked |
| Emergency visit, level 4 | 12 | $1,906 | $1,254–$21,035 | Lower | $5,064 |
| Comprehensive metabolic panel | 12 | Locked | Locked | Lower | Locked |
| Complete blood count | 13 | Locked | Locked | Lower | Locked |
Hospitals with the most published UnitedHealthcare rates
| Hospital | Joint replacement | MRI lower back | CT abdomen | Colonoscopy | ER level 4 | Vaginal delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foothill Regional Medical Center | – | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Los Angeles Community Hospital | – | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Los Robles Hospital And Medical Center | $43,885 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital | $24,885 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Riverside Community Hospital | $22,998 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Southern California Hospital At Culver City | – | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Southern California Hospital At Hollywood | – | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| St. Francis Medical Center | $32,176 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital | $43,885 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
| Ucsf Health Saint Mary's Hospital | $39,691 | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked | Locked |
How the contracts are written: case rates 36%, fee schedules 36%, per diem 3%, percent of billed charges 19%, other 6% of UnitedHealthcare's published commercial rates for these services in California.
Employers: see all 17 services and every hospital near your people in a Plan Cost Benchmark →
Hospital facility rate only: physician, anesthesia and implant charges are separate. Rates are what hospitals publish, not claims paid, and are not weighted by use.
Carriers in California
| Carrier | Plans | Share | Median premium / person | Median broker % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiser Permanente | 3,845 | 59% | $7,918 | 4.6% |
| Anthem (Elevance Health) | 1,448 | 22% | $7,794 | 5.2% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 1,178 | 18% | $8,573 | 5.3% |
| Other insurers (regional and local plans) | 1,165 | 18% | $6,939 | 5.0% |
| Cigna | 945 | 14% | $4,568 | 6.4% |
| UnitedHealthcare | 849 | 13% | $6,155 | 5.2% |
| Aetna | 800 | 12% | $7,192 | 5.0% |
| Humana | 19 | 0% | $749 | 11.6% |
UnitedHealthcare in other states
FAQ
How many California employers have UnitedHealthcare health insurance?
849 employer health plans in California reported a UnitedHealthcare major-medical contract in their 2024 filings, covering 431,887 persons. Self-funded plans that UnitedHealthcare only administers are not counted.
What is UnitedHealthcare's share of the California insured employer market?
13% of insured large employer health plans, 6th of 8 carrier groups by plan count.
How much do brokers earn on UnitedHealthcare plans in California?
Where broker or agent pay was reported, the median was 5.2% of premium (5.0% across all carriers in California).
Can I see the figures for a specific employer?
Yes. Brokers can request an Employer Account Brief on one employer, or a Prospect List for this market. Employers can request a Plan Cost Benchmark for their own plan. Use the request form on this page.
About these numbers
- Plans counted: the 849 California employer health plans with a UnitedHealthcare major-medical contract in their 2024 filings. Self-funded plans that UnitedHealthcare only administers are not counted here.
- Premium and broker figures: 770 contracts with 20+ persons covered and a reported premium; broker percentages use the 724 contracts that reported broker or agent pay.
- Network rates: UnitedHealthcare Choice, professional fees only, from a sample of providers.
- Hospital prices: UnitedHealthcare commercial rates at California hospitals; stay and facility prices only.
- Full method and limits: how the employer health plan data is built.