UnitedHealth in more trouble: DOJ Medicare investigation

United is the nation's largest health insurance program, covering millions of Americans through employers and Medicare, with massive growth since 2010. Was the growth too fast?

Why this matters to women: UnitedHealth Group is a major insurer in the private insurance market and in Medicare. United’s ACA exchange product is used by many employers in 30 states in lieu of traditional health insurance. If you, the kids, or the grands are insured through any United product, an ugly year just got uglier: United stock has taken a 49% hit this year. United is in flux, but so are other health insurers in our for-profit healthcare system, and it’s unclear how Congress or the administration will respond.

In 2023, UnitedHealth Group reported total revenues of around $359 billion. The group is among the world’s ten largest companies in general, and it is the largest U.S. healthcare insurance company. The company generates by far its largest share of revenues through health insurance premiums, which are responsible for nearly 80% of total revenues.

Since 2010, UnitedHealth’s revenues increased more than threefold, showing a massive growth over the course of just over one decade, but then came 2024—and it just got a lot worse this week.