From a Texas attorney general investigation to a leadership shakeup that includes a new UnitedHealthcare president, here are 12 updates on UnitedHealth Group and its subsidiaries that Becker’s has reported since Sept. 14:
1. Texas Attorney General and U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton launched an investigation into UnitedHealth Group, stemming from allegations of “deceptive and unlawful practices” that could have denied Texans medically necessary care.
2. UnitedHealthcare is facing a class-action lawsuit, which alleges the insurer inappropriately stopped crediting payments funded by drug manufacturer assistance toward a member’s deductible and out-of-pocket limit.
3. Retired Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho, MSN, stepped back into her previous role as CEO of Optum Serve, UnitedHealth Group’s federal government health services business.
4. A federal judge threw out most of a securities fraud lawsuit brought by the country’s largest pension fund against UnitedHealth Group, but will let claims that the company misled investors about previous asset sales move forward.
5. UnitedHealthcare is withdrawing from international private medical insurance in the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. UnitedHealthcare Global will exclusively recommend the Cigna Global Health Benefits business as the preferred international health insurer for clients.
6. Dennis O’Brien, CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s individual Medicare Advantage business, was named president of UnitedHealthcare Networks.
7. UnitedHealthcare and TeamHealth have settled a lawsuit in which the insurer accused the physician staffing company of upcoding emergency department claims.
8. Bobby Hunter was named president of UnitedHealthcare. He was previously CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s government programs business
9. LHC Group, a home health and hospice provider owned by UnitedHealth Group’s Optum, disclosed a data breach tied to a vishing attack that exposed patient information.
10. UnitedHealth Group tapped Jodee Kozlak to fill the company’s new chief administrative officer role.
11. Dan Kueter, CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s commercial business since 2022, moved into a new role as chief commercial officer of UnitedHealth Group. Brandon Cuevas, who left UnitedHealthcare for Kaiser Permanente in 2023, returned to take over the commercial business.
12. A federal judge dismissed Johnson City, Tenn.-based Ballad Health’s lawsuit accusing UnitedHealth Group of denying and underpaying Medicare Advantage claims, ruling the dispute must go to arbitration.
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