US federal authorities investigating UnitedHealth, company confirms

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - US-based UnitedHealth Group said it is under both criminal and civil investigation by the US Justice Department.

In a Thursday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said it is cooperating with the department's requests and had "proactively" contacted the department following media coverage of an investigation related to its Medicare operations.

"The Company has now begun complying with formal criminal and civil requests from the Department. The Company has full confidence in its practices and is committed to working cooperatively with the Department throughout this process," UnitedHealth said.

This disclosure marks another challenge in what has been a turbulent year for the nation's largest health care provider.

UnitedHealth was already in the national spotlight following the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York last year — an incident that triggered widespread discussion about public dissatisfaction with the healthcare industry.

UnitedHealth Group's CEO unexpectedly stepped down in May, shortly before the company’s stock took a significant hit following multiple reports by The Wall Street Journal detailing both civil and criminal investigations.

According to the Journal, the department’s healthcare fraud division is examining potential Medicare fraud at the company, alongside ongoing probes into possible antitrust violations and Medicare billing practices.

UnitedHealth ended the first half of 2025 as the worst-performing stock on the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Following the latest announcement, its shares fell 1.5% in morning trading.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company expressed "full confidence" in its operations, stating that a court-appointed monitor had found no misconduct after a 10-year investigation into its Medicare Advantage program.

UnitedHealth "is committed to maintaining the integrity of its business practices and serving as reliable stewards of American tax dollars," the company said.

The Justice Department has not yet commented on the matter.