UnitedHealthcare has launched what it calls a “virtual-first” health plan where patients start with online healthcare providers before moving to in-person visits as needed. Up until now, virtual care largely has been focused on acute care needs and specific diseases, such as diabetes. Our own Brooks Deibele, Regional Market Leader of Employee Benefits, says he’s “encouraged” by the UnitedHealthcare product because it could address long-standing problems in healthcare, such as unnecessary visits, inappropriate use of services, and disjointed patient experiences. See what else Brooks had to say in an article in the Star Tribune titled “UnitedHealthcare pushing online visits with new ‘virtual-first’ health plan.”