UnitedHealth

16 Stories

Hack Gives Patients, Providers a Big Insurance Headache

Ransomware attack against UnitedHealth's Change Health unit cripples services for more than a week

(Newser) - Across the US, health care providers are contending with a payment issue wrought by a ransomware strike that went down last month. The Washington Post reports that, for more than a week, those providers, including hospitals and pharmacies, have had trouble processing insurance claims and filling prescriptions due to the...

These Companies Just Made Fortune 500's Top 10

Walmart takes top spot in annual ranking of largest US firms

(Newser) - Fortune has released its annual Fortune 500 rankings, its 69th version of the list of the country's largest corporations, based on revenue for 2022's fiscal year. Per a release , a company had to bring in $7.2 billion to be included, a jump of 13% from last...

Critics Call UnitedHealthcare's New ER Policy Dangerous

Patients could be on the hook for visits later deemed to be nonemergencies

(Newser) - UnitedHealthcare says a new policy will reduce health care costs by reducing unnecessary emergency-room visits—but doctors warn there are some very obvious downsides to discouraging people from going to the ER. The policy the insurer is bringing in on July 1 will retroactively assess claims for emergency room visits,...

In Recusal, Judge Calls Insurer's Decision 'Barbaric'

UnitedHealthcare wouldn't pay for proton beam therapy

(Newser) - A class-action lawsuit against an insurer for denying cancer patients coverage of an alternative to standard radiation treatment happened to come before a judge with the same complaint—against the same company. The federal judge recused himself, CNN reports, but not before giving UnitedHealthcare an earful, calling the insurer's...

This Company Has a -5% Corporate Tax Rate

GE tops WalletHub's list of companies with lowest corporate tax rates; Caterpillar has the highest

(Newser) - To best understand how President Trump's plan to cut the corporate tax rate from 35% to 20% would affect companies, it's necessary to determine a company's effective tax rate. WalletHub is on the case. The outlet reviewed annual reports for the top 100 companies on the S&...

US' Biggest Health Insurer Scales Back ObamaCare Participation

UnitedHealth claims it's lost more than $1B on the ACA

(Newser) - UnitedHealth, the nation's biggest health insurer, will cut its participation in public health insurance exchanges to only a handful of states next year after expanding to nearly three dozen for this year, the AP reports. CEO Stephen Hemsley said Tuesday that the company expects losses from its exchange business...

Nation's Biggest Insurer May Quit ObamaCare

'We cannot sustain these losses'

(Newser) - The biggest health insurer in the country announced Thursday it could leave ObamaCare in 2017. The Hill calls the announcement a "shock ... that could ripple through the marketplace," and the AP notes it could have an impact on policies during the presidential election season. In a statement to...

$48B Health Care Deal Could 'Reshape Industry'

Anthem-Cigna news comes just weeks after Aetna-Humana announcement

(Newser) - In a deal that the Wall Street Journal says could "reshape the US health industry," Anthem has agreed to buy Cigna for more than $48 billion—forming a combined entity that will cover more than 53 million people. Just weeks after Aetna announced it plans to acquire Humana...

Top Insurer: Law or Not, We'll Keep ObamaCare

UnitedHealthcare to maintain preventive services, other Obama rules

(Newser) - Elements of President Obama's health care law will survive regardless of the Supreme Court's decision. The nation's biggest health insurer, UnitedHealthcare—which covers some 9 million people—plans to maintain several sections of the law's "Patient's Bill of Rights": It will continue to offer...

19 Most Hated Companies
 19 Most Hated Companies 
Jul 10, 2011 6:48 PM CDT

19 Most Hated Companies

Surprise: Arilines and telecoms make the cut

(Newser) - Ask someone which American company they most loathe, and chances are they'll struggle to pick just one: The Atlantic rounds up the "19 Most Hated Companies in America" based on the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Airlines, telecoms, and power companies make frequent appearances. Some of the worst offenders:...

Health Insurance Execs Cash In, Jack Premiums

Those heading 5 biggest companies took home $200M

(Newser) - As their companies slammed policyholders with double-digit rate increases, top executives at the nation's five largest insurance companies gave themselves hefty raises last year, pulling in a total of almost $200 million. Of the heads of Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealth Group, WellPoint, and Aetna, only one took a paycut—Aetna's CEO...

Insurer Urges Employees to Protest Health Care Reform

UnitedHealth Group lays down AstroTurf

(Newser) - UnitedHealth Group, the nation’s second-biggest health insurance firm, has been encouraging employees to attend events protesting health-care reform, Talking Points Memo reports. In a clear-cut example of “Astroturf”—fake grassroots action—a memo to employees urges them to call an “advocacy specialist” who can provide talking...

Times to Daschle: Go Home
 Times to 
 Daschle: 
 Go Home 
OPINION
Feb 3, 2009 9:38 AM CST

Times to Daschle: Go Home

Tax, conflict-of-interest issues should disqualify ex-Senate leader

(Newser) - In the wake of revelations about his tax oversights and industry ties, the New York Times is calling on Tom Daschle to step aside and let Barack Obama pick a “less-blemished” Health and Human Services secretary. Daschle’s $128,000 tax lapse dwarfs even Tim Geithner’s. “The...

Now You Can Buy Insurance for Insurance

Think you'll lose health coverage? Firm will insure your right to it

(Newser) - Healthy and insured but afraid you might someday lose your medical coverage? UnitedHealth has just launched a new product that lets consumers pay now for the guarantee that they’ll be able to get insurance later—even if they get sick, the New York Times reports. Critics are skeptical of...

Stocks Sink on Weak Earnings, Soaring Oil

Texas Instruments, UnitedHealth tumble, along with many others

(Newser) - Stocks fell today as oil prices soared and the flow of disappointing earning reports continued. Texas Instruments and UnitedHealth were both hit hard. "We're likely to see stocks continuing to be under pressure," one researcher told Bloomberg. The Dow was down 104.79 to 12,720.23, the...

'Privatized' Medicare Dupes Elderly: Audits

Providers accused of cutting coverage, ignoring complaints

(Newser) - Dems are likely loading political ammo after audits show that Medicare providers have cut thousands from coverage and snubbed those who complain. What's more, HIV/AIDS patients have been booted, standards flouted and phones left ringing. Dems have long opposed efforts to "privatize Medicare," but feds say the changes...

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