UnitedHealthGroup Ran "A Huge Scam that Affected Hundreds of Millions of Americans"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28628880/

One of the nations largest health insurers has agreed to pay $50 million in a settlement announced today after being accused of overcharging millions of Americans for health care.

The New York attorney generals office launched an investigation after receiving hundreds of complaints about Oxford Insurance and its parent company, UnitedHealth Group, which claims to rely on independent research from across the health care industry to determine reimbursement rates. In actuality though, it relies on Ingenix, a research firm owned by UnitedHealth Group.

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says Ingenix has been manipulating the numbers so insurance companies pay less. In a just-released report, he contends that Americans have been under-reimbursed to the tune of at least hundreds of millions of dollars. Although UnitedHealth Group and Oxford Insurance were the only entities investigated, other major insurers use Ingenix, including Aetna, CIGNA and WellPoint/Empire BlueCross BlueShield.

Not feeling so well at
http://www.michaelmoore.com

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• unitedhealthgroup
• scam
• health
• care
• cuomo

[AlienTruth]

At least $700 Billion on Iraq, $700 Billion to those who are so against "spreading the wealth", and $2.3 Trillion "misplaced" by the Department of Defense on Sept 10, 2001. If you don't know about the $2.3 Trillion, simply YouTube it and watch Donald Rumsfeld on 9/10/01 say "we've misplaced $2.3 Trillion this year alone." The next year was 1-point something Trillion. I've gotten fucked on health care and I had insurance!! They said I was taken to the wrong hospital; I WAS KNOCKED OUT!!!

[diezungen]

Why is it that when institutions like insurance companies steal, they never put anyone in jail?

Capitalism is a system that rewards thieves...but only if they steal millions or billions of dollars. Steal a loaf of bread under this system and you go to jail.

Yes...the majority of Americans are no better than sheep. They obviously deserve no better than the royal screwing they constantly get.

[lanilani06]

А big lie repeated by the media in US: "In Canada you have to wait..." Lie, lie, lie! I lived in Canada as a foreigner for years, had complete coverage for family for $60/month, my wife gave birt at no charge whatsoever... my professor had a tripple bypass and did not wait for the surgery... Canada is a dream in social care, access to higher education and retirement. It is a humane society of caring people.

[Ron20042004]

When so many people can't afford health insurance and we have doctors who are millionaires, there's a problem. When United Healthcare's CEO gets huge, and I mean huge salary through stock and they raise policies by exorbitant amounts each year, there's a problem. When are we going to view the US healthcare system for the scam that it is...? Way to many people getting fat off of the system. Why should a radiologist (avg salary 300 k) who sits in front of a screen all day and does reads of x

[whoo689]

Oh yeah, BIG fucking overcharge. Instead of having to pay only 10-20% of routine medical costs, insurers had to pay maybe 30 or 40%, which really isn't that much more, at least not for regular treatments and checkups. God, we here in America REALLY don't like paying for healthcare, do we? We overuse it, and that ends up allowing the market to raise prices constantly rather than lowering them when consumers would be in charge. Consumers need to shop around and price-check, for god sake.

[whoo689]

If you get a policy from an insurer of any kind, you should be smart enough to expect that premiums will go up every now and then, like when you use it too much or are reckless. Don't whine to the gov't. Just cancel the policy and get a different insurer! Hello??

[whoo689]

How exactly did United Health "overcharge"? That's what I wanna know. Did they actually breach contracts signed between them and consumers, or did they just raise prices a little to deal with seasonal costs and whatnot? I'm so tired of this nonsense about "overcharging" or "price gouging." Those are just politically correct liberal terms! There's no such thing! If you get involved in an insurance policy or buy from someone, you agree to pay the costs. That's called a market.

[fostereric]

you can only provide healthcare for all in US if you cap doctor's pay and turn them into government slaves.

US doctors make 3 times more on average than in Europe or even in Canada.

[Muffindisaster]

I don't live in the US so I don't know..:

Why do there even need to be any health companies? I think higher taxes are good. You don't need to make 500dollars or what ever more in a month if you need a 50000dollar surgery. why cant the health care be free and the state you pay taxes would pay the doctors.?

I might be totally wrong :D

Can't Michael Moore and Obama co-work with this problem? Or are they already? Again I dont know. :D

[cinsere22]

We all deserve good health care. Blaming

people for all the ills of society is a blame game.

Greed is responsible for the bulk of the problems.

And greed is sure hard to manage. Give the same

health care programs that the congress has. We

pay for this via our taxes. Rob them of this benefit and change would happen overnight.

[ShockGuey5173]

Only in America! no, really! we don't have free healtcare.

[billybbob18]

Just like when the state cops achieve a higher level of fitness, their pay goes up, and vice versa. The sheriffs in my area don't have the fitness incentive to worry about, so there are quite a few fatties in that dept. Being fit will actually help our productivity and morale in the long run anyway. Peace