Employer family premiums hit $28,303 in 2026. Workers’ share rose 9%. UnitedHealth’s answer is variable copays powered by AI. Here is what that actually means.
The core idea: show the worker a specific dollar amount for each facility before they book. If the cheaper option has a real appointment, both the worker and the employer save in the same transaction.
But if the cheaper facility is booked for weeks or can’t do the ordered protocol, the employer has just priced the only available appointment. Same app. Very different benefit.
Research context: a California reference pricing program shifted 18 points of volume and cut prices paid by 21%. A price tool alone? No reduction in outpatient spending at all. Design determines which outcome you get.
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