From plans to launch a new accountable care organization in Wisconsin, to announcing it would be getting rid of out-of-pocket costs for some prescription drugs, here are six headlines about UnitedHealth since July 7.
1. UnitedHealthcare is launching a new accountable care organization in August in Wisconsin for the 2023 plan year, the Milwaukee Business Journal reported July 21. NexusACO aims to reduce insurance rates by 8 percent to 13 percent through its new provider network.
2. UnitedHealth was among the companies recognized for its initiatives promoting disability inclusion and equality for their employees in the 2022 Disability Equality Index, a national benchmarking survey created by Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities.
3. UnitedHealth Group saw 13 percent revenue growth in the second quarter, according to its 2022 earnings report released July 15. UnitedHealthcare also said it would eliminate out-of-pocket costs for some prescription drugs — including insulin — under fully insured group plans.
4. Las Vegas-based Fremont Emergency Services, a subsidiary of TeamHealth, filed a lawsuit July 13 against UnitedHealthcare alleging the payer's downcoding policy "arbitrarily reduces payments to clinicians who have provided life-saving emergency care" to its members.
5. UnitedHealth Group said July 12 it is committing $25 million to the Healthy Neighborhoods Equity Fund II to help finance mixed-use developments in three Massachusetts communities.
6. UnitedHealth was sued by a Chicago patient alleging the insurer underpaid for telehealth services. The lawsuit, filed July 7, alleges that by refusing to adhere to CMS policy, UnitedHealth was able to "take advantage of the increased use of telehealth services resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic to pay less in benefits for the same covered services, thereby enriching itself at the expense" of those it insures.