UnitedHealth Doctors Questioned
https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/features/113784
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is interviewing at least two former UnitedHealth Group physicians, two sources told STAT
Both doctors had been interviewed for STAT’s series on UnitedHealth, and they described how patient care deteriorated after being acquired by Optum, a subsidiary of the healthcare giant. They also said they were encouraged to upcode Medicare Advantage patients under the new ownership.
“We were not truly caring for patients anymore,” Susan Baumgaertel, MD, who was recently contacted by an attorney from the DOJ’s antitrust division, told STAT. “We were just micromanaging their care to bring in money. It just felt so unconscionable.”
The DOJ is investigating UnitedHealth’s market power as well as the relationship between its insurance and provider subsidiaries, though it’s unknown if the physician interviews are part of that investigation. The company has been under particular scrutiny after the murder of its insurance business CEO Brian Thompsonlast month.
Filed under: General Problems
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