Agile on the mainframe: impossible? Maybe not. UnitedHealthOne’s already dynamic business underwent significant changes with the introduction of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The previous expectations of UnitedHealthOne IT (methodical, low risk, measured) did not adequately satisfy the new business operating model (fast, consumer-focused). IT needed to dramatically change the way they worked to increase the volume of business value delivered, their flexibility as the business changes, the velocity of business outcomes, business engagement with IT, and the predictability of IT performance to deliver quality. Applying agile IT to UnitedHeathOne’s mainframe teams was necessary, and is getting results.