Where's the Justice

Once again, UnitedHealth Group faces more fines for alleged claims violations.

This time it is in California and the fine is reported to be up to $1.33 billion.

The fine stems from more than 130,000 alleged claims violations related to PacifiCare, which UnitedHealth acquired in late 2005.

The California Department of Insurance launched a joint investigation into the insurer in 2007 after receiving hundreds of consumer and provider complaints about claims payment problems.

They allegedly denied covered claims, provided incorrect payments, lost documents including medical records, failed to acknowledge receipt of claims in a timely manner, and failed to resolve provider disputes.

This is no surprise to any primary care physician that has dealt with United and one of the primary reasons we dropped them.

An audit of PacifiCare directed by the state already has resulted in $765,157 in claims and recoveries for patients and providers.

So with a fine of this magnitude, who do you think really pays for it?

I’ll bet the stockholders do not have to write checks to cover this cost.

Employers, patients, doctors and other healthcare providers will pay for this by reduced payments and benefits.

Where’s the justice??