UnitedHealth Former Staff Reveal Dark Secrets Of Medicare Billing Practices

The U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) criminal healthcare-fraud unit has intensified its investigation into UnitedHealth Group Inc’s (NYSE:UNH) Medicare billing practices, focusing on how it leveraged doctors and nurses to boost government payments.

The probe began at least a year ago and is now drawing fresh scrutiny as former employees speak with federal investigators.

The Wall Street Journal reported that former UnitedHealth employees told investigators that the company encouraged the capture of certain lucrative diagnoses during patient assessments.

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These efforts included testing patients, implementing protocols to document medical conditions, and dispatching nurses to conduct in-home evaluations.

In May, UnitedHealth was reportedly investigated by the DOJ for possible Medicare fraud. The company then said, “We have not been notified by the Department of Justice of the supposed criminal investigation reported, without official attribution, in the Wall Street Journal today.”

“We stand by the integrity ...