We are committed to working with our state partners, providers, members and the community to help Kentuckians live healthier lives and make the health system work better for all. We are United for Kentucky.
I am so happy to be back in Kentucky and am embracing my role as the CEO for UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Kentucky. I have deep roots and love for this state and am honored to be able to combine my deep sense of pride and passion for Kentucky with UnitedHealthcare’s mission of helping people live healthier lives.
In Kentucky, we know the health of the family is essential
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Kentucky serves pregnant women, children and young adults to age 21, families and adults. We offer dual health plans for people who qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare Parts A&B (Original Medicare) and plans for people who meet income requirements and are eligible for Kentucky Medicaid.
I am excited to work toward creating better health outcomes in the commonwealth with a special focus on:
- Improving access to affordable, quality care – from Pikeville to Paducah – and everywhere in between.
- Helping the community stay vibrant by helping the health system work better for everyone.
- Balancing the wonderful flavors of Kentucky with opportunities to invest in ways to improve nutrition.
We’re all in this together and partnerships make all the difference
I look forward to collaborating with you here in Kentucky as we work to improve the health of our citizens. The best ideas are often home grown from the ground up.
By working together to share insights, combine resources and prioritize our focus, we can explore new solutions to make a real difference for our neighbors in the communities we call home. Together we can find more ways to help Kentuckians live healthier lives.
In good health,
Krista Hensel, CEO UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Kentucky
Developing partnerships and resources to address areas that directly affect health and quality of life
UnitedHealthcare has a proven track record of partnering with Kentucky community organizations to benefit the commonwealth and its citizens. Consistent with our mission of helping people live healthier lives, we are committed to partnering with local community organizations with the goal of expanding their reach and impact to break the cycle of poverty and poor health.
UnitedHealthcare believes in collaborating and partnering with the commonwealth and has invested more than $3M in community programs over the past three years. During that time, we have dedicated time and funds to improve health outcomes for many underserved populations, including:
- Donating $100,000 to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to support a partnership to strengthen the Appalachian investment ecosystem, with a focus on addressing unemployment in Appalachia.
- Acting as the catalyst and sole sponsor for a partnership with Kentucky Youth Advocates. Through these efforts, we worked with local communities and the state to reduce the number of kids in foster care by 25% by 2025. We also made an investment of $93,000 in the Goodwill RISE program, which provides job training to individuals who are cycling in and out of the criminal justice system.
- Supporting programs and partnerships to address disease-specific conditions that are impacting Kentucky citizens, including a $1M United Health Foundation grant to the University of Kentucky’s College of Dentistry to launch its Eradicate Oral Cancer in Eastern Kentucky project. The three-year project awarded $930,000 in grants to implement telehealth technology capabilities that will provide improved access to mental health services for more than 3,000 children in eastern Kentucky.
- Investing in and partnering with the UK Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center and UK Regional Extension Center to provide diabetes workshops in rural Kentucky.
Committed to quality, affordable and accessible care
Get more information about some of our work at the links below:
Easing the transportation burden for behavioral health
For individuals with a mental health or substance abuse disorder, getting the necessary treatment and recovery support can be challenging if you don’t have access to reliable transportation. UnitedHealthcare provided a $10,000 grant to Calvary Christian Church to support their transportation program.
Goodwill is helping people get back to work in Louisville
RISE (Reintegrating Individuals Successfully Everyday) is a Goodwill program that provides job-finding assistance to people in the greater Louisville area who are eligible for Medicaid or have been incarcerated. It recently received a $90,000 grant from UnitedHealthcare to expand its work.
Kentucky communities address out-of-home care crisis for children
In Kentucky, 10,000 children are in the foster care system. Kentucky Youth Advocates hosted several community conversations to discuss data-driven, solution-focused research on foster care and family well-being across the Bluegrass State with the support of an initial $35,000 grant from UnitedHealthcare.
UnitedHealthcare donates PPE to clinics and health centers
Kentucky Primary Care Association coordinated the distribution of 10,000 surgical masks to its providers through a UnitedHealthcare donation.
UnitedHealthcare partners with Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center to push Diabetes awareness
A strategic partnership is implementing programs to help move the needle on improving health outcomes related to Diabetes in rural areas of Kentucky.
UnitedHealthcare provides grant to support Strive Program
UnitedHealthcare and Hazard Community and Technical College partner to provide students an opportunity to earn college credits and complete a paid internship to introduce them to the health care field and bring that knowledge back to their rural communities.
