Optum

Optum, Inc.
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryHealthcare
Founded2011; 13 years ago (2011)
Headquarters,
U.S.
Key people
Heather Cianfrocco (CEO)
Andrew Witty (CEO of parent company, UHG)
ServicesPharmacy benefit manager
Health care provider
RevenueUS$ 226.6 billion (2023)[1]
ParentUnitedHealth Group
Websitewww.optum.com/en/

Optum, Inc. is an American healthcare company that provides technology services, pharmacy care services (including a pharmacy benefit manager) and various direct healthcare services.

Optum was formed as a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group in 2011 by merging UnitedHealth Group’s existing pharmacy and care delivery services into the single Optum brand, comprising three main businesses: OptumHealth, OptumInsight and OptumRx.[2] In 2017, Optum accounted for 44 percent of UnitedHealth Group's profits.[3] In 2019, Optum's revenues surpassed $100 billion for the first time, growing by 11.1% year over year, making it UnitedHealth’s fastest-growing unit at the time.[4][5]

In early 2019, Optum gained significant media attention regarding a trade secrets lawsuit that the company filed against former executive David William Smith, after Smith left Optum to join Haven, the joint healthcare venture of Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and Berkshire Hathaway.[6]

  1. ^ "UnitedHealth Group 2023 Annual Report (Form 10-K)". sec.gov. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. January 2024. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  2. ^ "UnitedHealth Group Announces "Optum" Master Brand for its Health Services Businesses - UnitedHealth Group". United Health Group. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  3. ^ "Optum a step ahead in vertical integration frenzy". Healthcare Dive. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  4. ^ "UnitedHealth's Optum revenues surpass $100B for 1st time". Beckers Hospital Review. January 15, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  5. ^ Japsen, Bruce. "UnitedHealth's Optum Sales Hit $100B For First Time". Forbes. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  6. ^ Coombs, Bertha (January 23, 2019). "UnitedHealth sues ex-executive for taking trade secrets to Amazon health venture". www.cnbc.com. Retrieved March 11, 2019.