UnitedHealthcare unveils pilot to accelerate payments to rural hospitals

By Paige Minemyer / January 14, 2026

Insurance giant UnitedHealthcare is rolling out a new program that aims to support the finances of cash-strapped rural hospitals.

Through the pilot, UHC will accelerate the payment timelines in its Medicare Advantage plans by 50% over the next six months, lowering the time from an average of less than 30 days to less than 15 days, according to an announcement from the company.

The insurer said in the announcement that the program is designed to "deliver immediate cash‑flow relief and support the sustainability of these important rural hospitals." 

Insurance giant UnitedHealthcare is rolling out a new program that aims to support the finances of cash-strapped rural hospitals.

Through the pilot, UHC will accelerate the payment timelines in its Medicare Advantage plans by 50% over the next six months, lowering the time from an average of less than 30 days to less than 15 days, according to an announcement from the company.

The insurer said in the announcement that the program is designed to "deliver immediate cash‑flow relief and support the sustainability of these important rural hospitals." 

The pilot will initially launch in four states: Oklahoma, Idaho, Minnesota and Missouri. UnitedHealth said the first participants were selected based on their potential to "maximize impact" and support the future of this initiative and the development of additional interventions in rural healthcare.

UnitedHealthcare will work closely with the hospitals during the rollout and provide key data on progress with the providers, policymakers and community stakeholders, per the announcement. After the initial six months, the company intends to take the learnings from the pilot and determine future expansion and scale for the program.

"Our goal is to co-create solutions with rural providers that support accessible care close to home," Hunter said. "Together, we will learn quickly and scale what works."