Vertical integration is the way to create multi-service giants.

UHC, Amazon, Samsung, Apple, and SoFi created this virtual ecosystem that is all tied together and you can stay within.

UHC got bigger by doing vertical integration and avoiding horizontal integration. For UHC, Vertical integration is expanding services within the company by using Optum. While avoiding horizontal integration such as a merger with another health insurance company which would raise a red flag with the government.

UHC is happy to do business with other markets by creating a multi-service giant that offer greater efficiency, multiple products and avoids redundancy in the system.

UHC told CNBC, “Because we serve people throughout every aspect of the health system, we have a unique ability to identify opportunities to better integrate care and benefits, develop solutions and deploy them at scale to improve access, lower costs and make the experience better for patients and providers”