Optum and Google expand AI platform to cut health plan call volumes
Optum and Google announced an expanded collaboration on April 28 to develop real-time AI capabilities for health plan operations. The companies are building out Optum Real, a platform designed to reduce administrative workload and inbound call center volume for payers by automating routine inquiries.
Health plans currently spend significant time and money handling phone calls about eligibility, benefits, prior authorization and claim status. Optum Real shifts these interactions to digital workflows that give providers immediate access to administrative information without requiring a call.
The platform addresses a concrete operational problem: rising administrative costs and call volumes that tie up staff on repetitive work. By moving common inquiries to real-time digital channels embedded in existing workflows, health plans can reduce call center demand and streamline operations.
How it works
Optum and Google are developing AI-enabled capabilities that support faster information exchange between payers and providers. The system provides real-time access to claim and administrative data through digital interactions rather than phone-based ones.
Sandeep Dadlani, CEO of Optum Insight, said: "Too much time and cost in payer operations is tied up in avoidable administrative work. Through Optum Real and our collaboration with Google Cloud, we are helping payers remove some of those administrative challenges and operate more efficiently at scale."
Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, said: "Health plans are under increasing pressure to manage costs while maintaining service levels. By combining Google Cloud's AI models and scalable infrastructure with Optum's health care expertise, we can enable real-time, digital interactions that help reduce administrative burden and improve operational efficiency."
What's next
Optum and Google plan to add more real-time capabilities to the platform as it evolves. The collaboration reflects a broader shift in health plan operations toward automating administrative tasks that currently consume resources without adding clinical value.
For operations leaders managing call center costs and staffing challenges, AI Agents & Automation and AI for Customer Support offer practical frameworks for understanding how these technologies reduce manual workload.
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