EXHIBIT 24

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below hereby constitutes and appoints William W. McGuire, M.D., Stephen J.
Hemsley, and David J. Lubben, and each of them, his or her true and lawful
attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, with full power of substitution
and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities, to sign an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2002 for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated, and any and all
amendments thereto, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other
documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
granting authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite or
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and
purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, or his
or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

Dated: February 11, 2003


/s/ William C. Ballard, Jr.                      /s/ Mary O'Neil Mundinger
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William C. Ballard, Jr.                          Mary O'Neil Mundinger

/s/ Richard T. Burke, Sr.                        /s/ Robert L. Ryan
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Richard T. Burke, Sr.                            Robert L. Ryan

/s/ Stephen J. Hemsley                           /s/ Donna E. Shalala
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Stephen J. Hemsley                               Donna E. Shalala

/s/ James A. Johnson                             /s/ William G. Spears
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James A. Johnson                                 William G. Spears

/s/ Thomas H. Kean                               /s/ Gail R. Wilensky
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Thomas H. Kean                                   Gail R. Wilensky

/s/ Douglas W. Leatherdale
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Douglas W. Leatherdale

/s/ William W. McGuire, M.D.
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William W. McGuire, M.D.