UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated is an American multinational for-profit company specializing in health insurance and health care services. The company sells insurance products under the UnitedHealthcare brand and health care services under the Optum brand. It is the world’s seventh-largest company by revenue and the largest health care company by revenue. The company is ranked seventh on the 2025 Fortune Global 500.

Founded in 1974 as Charter Med Incorporated by Richard Taylor Burke, the organization underwent several transformations and restructuring before rebranding itself to UnitedHealth Group. The organization is primarily divided into two divisions: UnitedHealthcare, which manages health insurance plans for millions domestically and internationally, and Optum, which focuses on healthcare services like medical research, pharmacy care, and technological development in health facilities.

UnitedHealth Group is the largest healthcare provider in the United States, holding over 15.3% of the health insurance market as of 2021. It serves more than 29 million Americans and more than 50 million people worldwide. Over five decades, UnitedHealth Group has evolved from a regional HMO innovator into a global health care powerhouse, reshaping how care is delivered and paid for in the U.S. health system through its dual-engine model combining insurance with expansive medical services.