United Healthcare 2004 Annual Report Download - page 4

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Please find page 4 of the 2004 United Healthcare annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.

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While these objectives have been present in the past, we have refined our
focus around four imperatives. Our individual and collective activities will be
relentlessly directed at achieving:
>Higher quality and better health outcomes,
>Affordability of services,
>Accessibility to care, and
>Ease of use of benefits and services.
By addressing these fundamental needs, and thereby excluding all other distractions
and activities that do not align with these imperatives, we effectively dedicate our
resources and capabilities to the needs of our customers and, in turn, help create a
more efficient, progressive, fair and compassionate health care system for everyone.
Our efforts to date have been fruitful. We have succeeded in meeting the needs
of an increasingly diverse set of clients and market segments, and this has allowed
us to provide meaningful advances for our shareholders as well:
>Strong revenue growth has been driven by an expanding customer base, which
has accessed both new and established services.
>Health care cost trends have been contained through an array of services and
programs designed to reduce inappropriate variation in care, increase the use of
necessary services and more effectively purchase services critical to those in need.
>Operating margins have continued to expand as gains from the practical
application of technology have increased service quality and efficiency, and
simultaneously lowered costs.
>Strong cash flows from operations have been generated by attention to best
business practices. We have effectively utilized these strong cash resources to support
operations, fund research and development activities, invest in innovations for the
future, and support worthy social activities — documented by the company’s strong
return on equity, business expansion and continuing growth.
UnitedHealth Group
has been — and
will continue to be —
an important innovator and
advocate for addressing
the issues of quality,
affordability, accessibility
and usability in health care.
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