Becker’s Health IT reports that UnitedHealth Group’s allegedly aggressive approach to securing repayment of loans made to providers following their massive data breach now has two senators demanding some answers:
Two U.S. senators are pressing UnitedHealth Group for answers on what they deemed “predatory” tactics from the company in seeking loan repayments from healthcare providers related to the 2024 Change Healthcare cyberattack.
U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., wrote a letter Aug. 27 to the CEOs of UnitedHealth Group and Optum Financial, citing reports of “abusive” collections methods, including garnishing reimbursements and refusing to negotiate repayment plans. Providers have repaid about two-thirds of the $9.03 billion in loans UnitedHealth distributed after its Optum subsidiary Change Healthcare, the nation’s largest clearinghouse for healthcare claims, went offline following a February 2024 ransomware attack.
“There have been multiple reports of United using abusive tactics to recoup funds, including by withholding payment for health insurance claims through its insurance subsidiary UnitedHealthcare,” the senators wrote. “One healthcare provider compared Optum’s collections processes to those of predatory ‘loan shark’ tactics.”
Read more at Becker’s Health IT.
