Products / Level-Funded & Alternative Funding Programs

Surest

Public facts

Copay-first medical plan design

UnitedHealthcare copay-only employer medical plan with no deductible or coinsurance, sold self-funded, level-funded, and fully insured in 49 states (not Hawaii).

Visit surest.com

Overview

Surest is an ACA-compliant employer-sponsored health plan that replaced deductibles and coinsurance with upfront copays shown in an app and website before care. It uses the national UnitedHealthcare provider network and Optum Behavioral Health. Funding can be self-funded, level-funded, or fully insured. Surest formed in 2016, signed first customers in 2017, and joined UnitedHealthcare in 2022. Official FAQs say the plan is offered through employers in 49 states, excluding Hawaii, for groups with 2+ employees (starting size varies by state).

Why it matters Surest is a UHC plan design with a published 49-state footprint (Hawaii excluded) and explicit level-funded, self-funded, and fully insured paths—not a point solution.

Target buyer: Employers from small groups through large national accounts that want a shoppable, copay-only medical design on the UHC network, including as a level-funded option.
Pricing model: Employer-sponsored premiums / funding quoted by UnitedHealthcare; member cost share is published copays, not list PEPM; No public employer premium schedule. Member prices are plan-specific copays in the Surest app. A UHC article cites third-party studies on claim costs; those are not Surest list prices. Fully insured availability has been described as a subset of states in UHC news; the Surest FAQ states 49-state employer offer excluding Hawaii.
Availability: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Research: Last researched 2026-08-23; Public facts category

Key features

No deductible and no coinsurance; day-one copays
App/website shopping for providers, copays, ratings, and visit inclusions
National UnitedHealthcare and Optum Behavioral Health networks
Self-funded, level-funded, and fully insured funding arrangements
ACA-compliant coverage: preventive, Rx, primary/specialty, urgent/ER/hospital, maternity, behavioral health, and more
No specialist referral required
Not an HDHP; members cannot contribute to an HSA (existing HSA balances can still be used)
Compatible with HRA and FSA reimbursement

Integrations

UnitedHealthcare national provider network
Optum Behavioral Health
Surest member app and Benefits.Surest.com
UnitedHealthcare claims support (Claims-Support@uhc.com named in FAQs)

Overview

Surest is a copay-only employer medical plan now inside UnitedHealthcare. The company was formed in 2016, launched with customers in 2017, and combined with UnitedHealthcare in 2022. Surest calls itself the fastest-growing employer-sponsored health plan at UnitedHealthcare. Clients range from single-location family businesses to Fortune 100 employers.

The design shows a dollar copay for a provider and service before the visit. There is no deductible and no coinsurance to calculate. Care Ratings assign lower copays to providers Surest scores as higher quality/efficiency. The plan is ACA-compliant and covers typical major-medical categories (preventive, pharmacy, hospital, behavioral health, maternity, cancer, SUD, and more).

It is not a point solution. Funding is self-funded, level-funded, or fully insured. A UHC news article (2024–2025 timeframe) said level-funded availability for 2–50 employees began in early 2025 and fully insured for 51+ employees was in 41 states; the Surest FAQ’s current statement is 2+ employees, 49 states excluding Hawaii, all three funding types. Use the FAQ plus the quote for current funding-by-state rules.

Key Capabilities

Upfront copays in the Surest app or website; no deductible or coinsurance.
Search for in-network UHC providers, copays, ratings/reviews, and what a visit includes.
No PCP designation required; no specialist referrals.
Preventive vaccines $0 in-network.
In-network and separate out-of-network out-of-pocket limits; some plan designs have no out-of-network coverage.
FSA and HRA compatible; not HSA-contribution eligible because it is not an HDHP.
Prior authorizations do not transfer from a prior carrier.
Member services: app, Benefits.Surest.com, phone 866-683-6440 (hours published in the FAQ).

Integrations & Ecosystem

Documented: UnitedHealthcare medical network, Optum Behavioral Health, Surest digital tools, UHC claims-support email. Employer funding and ID cards run through UnitedHealthcare. A public payroll/ben-admin connector list was not found on surest.com.

Pricing

Employer cost is quoted. Member cost is the copay schedule for that plan, visible in the app. Premiums and out-of-network amounts do not count toward the in-network out-of-pocket limit (FAQ). No public PEPM.

Notes & Limitations

Public state list: 49 states excluding Hawaii (Surest FAQ). Starting employee count varies by state (homepage footnote).
UHC news and Surest FAQ have differed on fully insured state count and group-size cuts; confirm funding type by state on the quote.
Out-of-network care can cost more or be uncovered.
Not HSA-eligible for new contributions.
“Fastest growing” and study-based savings claims are vendor or third-party study statements, not independently audited here.

Sources

Tags: Surest · UnitedHealthcare · level-funded · copay plan · group medical · no deductible