Running a nationwide health care organization serving more than 51 million people and contracting with over 7,000 hospitals and care facilities takes coordination and manpower, which is why UnitedHealthcare has put leaders in place to manage different states and regions across the country.
While Tom Kunst is the CEO for UnitedHealthcare of Illinois, he also oversees the organization’s operations in Lake, Porter, and La Porte Counties in Indiana. At the same time, Eric Bachle serves as Executive Vice President for UnitedHealthcare of Indiana and Kentucky, managing the remaining counties in Northern Indiana.
Both Tom and Eric play crucial roles in ensuring individuals, families and employers have access to quality health benefits and care, while working to help make the health care system work better for everyone in Northern Indiana.
“Consumers and employers are looking for plans and programs that make access to health care simpler, more personalized and more affordable,” Kunst said. “That’s why our enterprise annually invests over $5 billion in data, technology, innovation and research, helping meet consumers where they are at with intuitive solutions that improve access to quality care at more affordable prices.”
Kunst accepted his current role at UnitedHealthcare in 2019 after working for over 30 years in various roles within the company. The reason he has stayed so long is the company’s relentless focus on modernizing the health care system and supporting the well-being of its members, one person at a time.
“We're constantly looking for ways to disrupt ourselves and the industry more broadly,” Kunst said. “There are a lot of solutions UnitedHealthcare brings to the table that impact health care delivery in Indiana and across the county, including programs that make care more connected, evidence-based and value driven.”
One example of that is Surest® health plan, which represents that next evolution in value-based health benefits. Unlike traditional health plans, Kunst said, Surest eliminates deductibles and coinsurance and provides members with predictable cost and coverage information in advance through an intuitive mobile app. That means people enrolled in Surest don’t have to chip away at a deductible and can use their benefits right away, including for low- or no cost virtual options.
Studies have found the upshot of the Surest model is improved access to higher value care, more satisfied consumers and lower total costs, which is important as many employers and employees grapple with issues like inflation.
“This type of plan design innovation is fundamentally changing how consumers use their health benefits, paving the way for increased access to preventive care and lower costs for consumers and employers,” Kunst said.
The focus on maximizing value extends to how UnitedHealthcare collaborates with care providers, facilities and hospitals. Bachle recalls one of his favorite moments at UnitedHealthcare when the company struck an agreement with a large hospital system where both organizations found they were aligned in their values.
“Their model and what they wanted to accomplish was directly aligned with ours,” Bachle said. “Our model focuses on more integrated care, more personalized care, and more efficient care, which all leads to better patient and provider experiences. It also helps reduce costs.”
Connecting with like-minded organizations to improve access to quality care was not always on Bachle’s radar. Having grown up in agriculture and construction, Bachle envisioned himself working in those fields – that is until his father suggested looking into health care. It’s been 20 years since he took his father’s advice and started a mission-driven career in health care.
“I like the intellectual stimulation,” Bachle said. “I am highly motivated to make an improvement in our state and our industry; that motivates me every day. Health care is highly personal, so we need to make the system work better and make it more affordable for everyone.”
Outside of work, Bachle enjoys going to the lake with his family and showing horses.
“Showing horses is intense; it is the true definition of horsepower and the best way to learn is by falling off,” said Bachle. “It’s rewarding when you and your horse are in sync.”
As for Kunst, outside of work he enjoys playing golf with his wife and sons, as well as attending his sons’ swimming and soccer matches.
“It was a 12-month season for my family when we were doing something related to sports and traveling,” Kunst said. “My younger son, the soccer player, was asked to play on a national soccer team and got to play in Germany and Austria. That was amazing.”
For more information about UnitedHealthcare and its leaders in Northern Indiana, visit uhc.com.
