UnitedHealth Group has engaged in an “an aggressive and wide-ranging campaign” against several groups of critics following the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in late 2024, The New York Times reported on July 12.
Throughout this year, the company has used legal threats and lawsuits to minimize criticism of its business practices coming from media outlets and journalists, investors, providers and activists, per the report.
In court documents, UnitedHealth has pointed to Mr. Thompson’s murder as evidence that harsh criticism of the company could provoke additional acts of violence.
“The truth matters, and there’s a big difference between ‘criticism’ and irresponsibly omitting facts and context,” a UnitedHealth spokesperson told The Times in a statement. “When others get it wrong, we have an obligation to our customers, employees and other stakeholders to correct the record, including by making our case in court when necessary.”
One example discussed in The Times report is UnitedHealth suing The Guardian in June for defamation following the publication of an investigative report from the media outlet that accuses the company of engaging in harmful and fraudulent cost-cutting tactics in nearly 2,000 nursing homes.
According to The Times, the nursing home report and corresponding lawsuit led The Guardian to postpone publishing another investigation into UnitedHealth.
The Times’ full report is here.
