UnitedHealthcare parent’s profit rises nearly 15 percent in 4th quarter

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), the parent of UnitedHealthcare, today reported that its profit increased almost 15 percent in the fourth quarter on growth in enrollment in its health-insurance plans.

Minnesota–based UnitedHealth said its net earnings rose to $1.43 billion, or $1.41 per share, in the fourth quarter from $1.24 billion, or $1.20 a share, in the year-earlier period.

UnitedHealth’s revenue increased 8 percent to $31.1 billion in the fourth quarter from $28.8 billion a year ago. Premium revenue increased 7 percent to $27.7 billion in the latest quarter.

UnitedHealthcare is Central New York’s third-largest health-insurance provider with more than 233,000 area members, according to CNYBJ Research. The company, which employs 50 people in the region, has a local office on Campuswood Drive in DeWitt.

UnitedHealthcare has 3.9 million total members in New York state. The insurer employs about 4,000 people statewide.

Nationwide, UnitedHealth Group serves nearly 90 million people and is the largest managed-care company in the U.S.

Contact Rombel at arombel@cnybj.com