UnitedHealthcare Rewards pays employees for healthy actions, but the $1,000 figure depends on what the employer buys.
UnitedHealthcare Rewards is an incentive program inside the UnitedHealthcare app. The headline of up to $1,000 a year comes with a condition that employers should understand before they promise it to staff.
What the program is and what members do.
What employees do to earn rewards
UnitedHealthcare says employees activate the program in the UnitedHealthcare app or on myuhc.com and then choose their own activities. Examples it lists include an annual checkup, a flu shot, a virtual urgent care visit, reaching 5,000 steps a day, tracking sleep for 14 nights, a biometric screening, a health survey and eligible cancer screenings. The program is voluntary.
What the dollar amounts look like
In a UnitedHealthcare video, the example rewards are $50 for an annual checkup, $2 a day for 30 minutes of activity or $14 for a full week, and $10 for tracking 14 days of sleep. UnitedHealthcare says employees can earn up to $1,000 a year, that the annual amount varies, and that the top figure requires an employer buy-up option.
How rewards are redeemed
UnitedHealthcare lists redemption options that may include paying toward a One Pass Select fitness subscription, adding funds to a health savings account, or taking a digital Visa gift card. It says rewards can help cover out-of-pocket medical costs. It also warns that receiving a prepaid debit card may have tax implications and points individuals and employers to a tax professional.
Eligibility, funding and plan design.
Who can use it
UnitedHealthcare says UHC Rewards is included at no additional cost on eligible employer plans, with the earning values and eligibility varying by plan type. It uses several names for a similar experience: UHC Rewards, Surest Rewards and Rewards for You. Employees are told to check with their employer to learn which version applies to them.
How it is sold
There are two layers. A base rewards experience is described as included on many employer plans. The higher annual amount, up to $1,000, is described by UnitedHealthcare as requiring an employer buy-up. UnitedHealthcare’s public pages do not say how the buy-up is priced or whether it differs for fully insured and self-funded groups, so that answer has to come from the proposal.
Where it fits in plan design
Rewards are paid to employees separately from the plan’s cost sharing. They give staff a way to build a balance that can offset deductibles and coinsurance, which makes them most noticeable in designs where employees feel out-of-pocket cost. Because rewards can be redeemed toward One Pass Select, the two programs are often discussed together.
What to settle before relying on it.
Is our group on the base amount or the $1,000 buy-up?
Ask for the exact annual maximum for the group in writing, the activity list with a dollar value on each item, and the price of the buy-up. A $1,000 ceiling does not mean employees will reach it. We would also ask UnitedHealthcare what employees in comparable groups have actually earned in a year.
Who pays for the rewards, and where does it show in the rates?
Confirm whether reward dollars are built into the premium or administrative fee, funded separately by the employer, or billed after the fact. Compare the cost of the buy-up with a realistic payout before agreeing, and ask for the same answer in writing at each renewal.
Has employment counsel reviewed the incentive design?
Incentives tied to health outcomes fall under HIPAA and ACA wellness rules, and programs that collect health data, such as a biometric screening or health survey, can raise ADA and GINA questions. The rules differ depending on whether a reward depends on participation or on a health result. We would have employment counsel review the design before launch.
Common questions about this program.
Is UnitedHealthcare Rewards free to the employer?
UnitedHealthcare describes it as included at no additional cost on eligible employer plans, but says the $1,000 maximum requires an employer buy-up option. Ask which version your group has and what the buy-up costs.
What does UnitedHealthcare say about engagement?
It reports that 92% of first-time participants registered and earned a reward (2023 book of business), and that registered members were over three times more engaged with their health plan’s digital resources than non-registered members (November 2024 report). These are UnitedHealthcare figures, not results for any one employer.
Can rewards lower our premium under Michigan law?
Not by themselves. Michigan law (MCL 500.3426) lets insurers offer premium rebates for employer wellness programs that show results, capped at 30%, or 50% for tobacco cessation. Ask UnitedHealthcare whether it offers such a rebate and what results it would require.
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