Summer internships are one of the more coveted elements of the MBA experience. Besides providing a few months of much-needed positive cash flow, they offer candidates their first real-world glimpse into their post-MBA careers, as well as some unique lessons. Such was the case for me as a UHG Leadership Experience (ULE) intern with UnitedHealth Group this summer.
The ULE is a 10-week internship that places each intern within one of UHG’s many lines of business and teams, ranging from UnitedHealthcare, Optum, or UHG Corporate. Should all go well, interns are extended a full-time offer in the form of a two-year rotational program that cycles employees through three rotations. I was placed on a Group Medicare Advantage (MA) Part D Product team, where I was initially tasked with developing a playbook that would serve as a record of the team’s responsibilities, day-to-day tasks, and critical tools. While this operational element was important, conversations with senior leaders and my own learnings within my first few weeks at UHG inspired me to add a strategy component to the playbook.
UHG has been under considerable internal and external pressure since the beginning of the year. The company had to postpone earnings guidance (the first time in 18 quarters of exceeding analyst expectations) and has been the focus of significant adverse publicity following the slaying of one of its chief executives in December. Increased competitive pressure, major reductions in the Medicare reimbursement schedules, and higher-than-expected member utilization have further strained the company’s bottom line.
Drawing on my previous management consulting experience, I proposed the addition of a strategy section that would address the goals and objectives of the Part D business, as well as market and competitor dynamics. I also proposed the development of a risk heat map based on the learnings from my RMI 700 course, as I believe that identifying and understanding the impacts of threats and opportunities on an organization are key to its survival. My manager liked my suggestions and gave me free rein to proceed, with the ultimate deliverable being a comprehensive playbook that balanced these strategic and operational elements.
Going into my internship, I was expecting to learn about the American healthcare system and some of the inner workings of a major health insurer. What I did not anticipate was how much I’d learn by being with a company going through a challenging period in its history. Unfortunate as these circumstances were, they provided the inspiration I needed to think outside the box with my summer project and deliver a product that brought immediate value to my team.
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