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Senate Democrats Seek UnitedHealth Internal Documents in Nursing Home Care Probe

The senators set a September 8 deadline for internal protocols and training materials to probe whether its I-SNP bonus structures prioritized cost savings over necessary hospital transfers.

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 03: U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) speaks alongside democratic senator, Ron Wyden, to press in the U.S. Capitol on February 03, 2025 in Washington, DC. Elon Musk, tech billionaire and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has been given access by the Trump administration to the federal payments system which handles trillions of dollars every year. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
The corporate logo of the UnitedHealth Group appears on the side of one of their office buildings in Santa Ana, California, U.S., April 13, 2020.      REUTERS/Mike Blake/ File Photo
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks to reporters outside of the Senate Chambers during a vote at the U.S. Capitol on July 10, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
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Overview

  • Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren have launched a Senate investigation into UnitedHealth Group’s Institutional Special Needs Plans for nursing home residents.
  • The lawmakers have asked UHG to submit internal documents, care protocols and training materials by September 8 to determine whether its bonus models influenced treatment decisions.
  • The probe centers on incentives tied to keeping hospital admissions below set thresholds without distinguishing medically necessary transfers, and on reports of pressure to sign do-not-resuscitate or do-not-intubate orders.
  • Reporting by The Guardian based on confidential records and whistleblower accounts alleges that delayed or denied hospital care under UHG’s programs caused serious patient harm.
  • UnitedHealth disputes the allegations, maintains its I-SNP plans reflect high-quality nursing home care and says it is cooperating with existing Department of Justice subpoenas into its Medicare Advantage practices.