Better, not 'normal,' must be post-pandemic goal

Last month, after a tumultuous year, Elias Usso was able to celebrate serving his community again. Usso, president and owner of Seward Pharmacy in Minneapolis and an Ethiopian immigrant, had opened his business less than one year before the pandemic, the killing of George Floyd and the unrest in Minneapolis. Today, with the support of Heart of America and UnitedHealth Group, Seward Pharmacy is rebuilt and reopened, a symbol of perseverance, community and hope.

In his work every day, Usso cares for people. His important work, and the impact it has on Seward Pharmacy and the surrounding community, is an inspiration to all of us.

As associate chief medical officer for UnitedHealth Group, I see care as the core of my work as well. Never has the need to care for one another been so pronounced as over these last 18 months — and as it continues to be. Collectively, we are facing the greatest public health challenge of our lifetime, as well as the persistence of inequities in our society across race, gender, sexual orientation, ability and income level.

At UnitedHealth Group, we are committed to creating real, positive change in the face of adversity.

When we sent our teams home at the onset of the pandemic, we kept our cafeterias running so we could send 1.1 million meals to local families in need.

Our team members have volunteered more than 25,000 hours — and counting — to help vital small businesses on Lake Street and the Midway get back on their feet.

We've invested $5 million in the YMCA Equity Innovation Center, helping advance equity and inclusion and inspire enduring resilience and change.

Nevertheless, we know much more needs to be done. That's why, in our just-published sustainability report, UnitedHealth Group made specific commitments that will help create a modern, high-performing health system, address disparities in care and advance health equity, and build healthier communities; ensuring we meet the needs of those we are privileged to serve. These commitments include ensuring that 85% of our members receive preventive care services annually by 2030 and closing 600 million gaps in care for our members by the end of 2025.

We identified these goals over broad, generalized ones precisely because they are specific, measurable, high-impact interventions. Through these commitments, we hope to play a role in helping more people access affordable care and live healthier lives, and improve the performance of our health system for everyone.

We know this journey toward a more sustainable health care system is far from over, just as the work to rebuild the Twin Cities and to create a more equitable society is only just beginning. And we know we can't do it alone. But with the support and partnership of our neighbors, we believe it's possible. We're not looking to go back to normal. Together, we want to move forward to better.