The company said fourth quarter profit rose to $1.20 per share from $1.17 per share a year earlier. Revenue rose to $28.8 billion from $25.9 billion a year earlier.
Analysts had been expecting fourth quarter 2012 earnings of $1.19 per share and sales of $28.2 billion.
UnitedHealth said that in 2013 it expects revenues of $123 to $124 billion, up from $110.6 billion in 2012. It saw earnings rising to a range of $5.25 to $5.50 per share from $5.28 per share in 2012.
The company finished 2012 with 6 percent growth in membership to 83.7 million customers, it said.
(Reporting By Caroline Humer; Editing by Alden Bentley)
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