Dive Brief:
- UnitedHealthcare, the nation's largest insurer, is again the world's most valuable healthcare brand, according to consulting group Brand Finance's annual ranking. The payer, with a brand value of nearly $31 billion, also nabbed the title of fastest-growing brand in its sector, according to the rankings.
- Anthem, also one of the nation's largest insurers, is the second-most valuable healthcare brand with a valuation of nearly $14 billion, up nearly 34% from the year prior, according to the rankings.
- Insurers dominated the top 10 list of most valuable healthcare brands for 2019. Rounding out the top spots were Optum, Aetna, Humana, Medtronic, Cigna, Fresenius, HCA and Centene.
Dive Insight:
UnitedHealthcare grew its brand value by 64% from the year prior. Brand Finance said the company's focus on creative brand initiatives helped boost its value, noting the insurer awarded Apple Watches to those who were successful in its wellness program.
"United Healthcare's overwhelming dominance of the healthcare market creates an environment where rivals have to acquire and expand in order to achieve the scale they need to compete," Brand Finance CEO Alex Haigh said in a statement. "Moreover, the landscape is set to change further as technology companies begin to show greater interest in the market."
The latest ranking comes as the sector has experienced dramatic consolidation. In the past few years, some of the nation's largest insurers have purchased pharmacy benefit managers, vertically integrating to create behemoth healthcare companies.
For example, Cigna purchased Express Scripts for $67 billion. Drugstore giant (and PBM) CVS gobbled up Aetna for nearly $70 billion. The nation's largest PBMs are hitched to insurance plans, which the companies say will help them take care of the entire care continuum for patients.
The list of most valuable healthcare companies were dominated by American brands. Dialysis firm Fresenius, which is based in Germany, was the only non-American company to crack the top 10 list.