A Guardian investigation finds insurer quietly paid facilities that helped it gain Medicare enrollees and reduce hospitalizations. Whistleblowers allege harm to residents
UnitedHealth Group, the nation’s largest healthcare conglomerate, has secretly paid nursing homes thousands in bonuses to help slash hospital transfers for ailing residents – part of a series of cost-cutting tactics that has saved the company millions, but at times risked residents’ health, a Guardian investigation has found.
Those secret bonuses have been paid out as part of a UnitedHealth program that stations the company’s own medical teams in nursing homes and pushes them to cut care expenses for residents covered by the insurance giant.
In several cases identified by the Guardian, nursing home residents who needed immediate hospital care under the program failed to receive it, after interventions from UnitedHealth staffers. At least one lived with permanent brain damage following his delayed transfer, according to a confidential nursing home incident log, recordings and photo evidence.
Joseph, G. (2025, May 22). Revealed: UnitedHealth secretly paid nursing homes to reduce hospital transfers. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/21/unitedhealth-nursing-homes-payments-hospital-transfers
Berklan, J. (2025, August 15). Senators launch ‘major’ investigation into UnitedHealth’s nursing home pay practices. McKnight’s Long-Term Care News. https://www.mcknights.com/news/senators-launch-major-investigation-into-unitedhealths-nursing-home-pay-practices/
Stulick, A., (2025, August 7). Senators probe UnitedHealth over Medicare advantage Hospitalization incentives for nursing homes. Skilled Nursing News. https://skillednursingnews.com/2025/08/senators-probe-unitedhealth-over-medicare-advantage-hospitalization-incentives-for-nursing-homes/
Marselas, K.. (2025, July 24). Nation’s largest Medicare Advantage insurer acknowledges federal investigations. McKnight’s Long-Term Care News. https://www.mcknights.com/news/nations-largest-medicare-advantage-insurer-acknowledges-federal-investigations/
Weaver, C., Mathews, A. W., & Moloshok / Reuters, D. (2025, July 9). EXCLUSIVE | Prosecutors question doctors about UnitedHealth’s Medicare billing practices. WSJ. https://www.wsj.com/business/unitedhealth-doj-medicare-billing-investigation-8d56800d
Marselas, K. (2025, June 13). UnitedHealth sues over ‘defamatory’ allegations related to nursing home, I-SNP practices. McKnight’s Long-Term Care News. https://www.mcknights.com/news/unitedhealth-sues-over-defamatory-allegations-related-to-nursing-home-i-snp-practices/
Siddiqi, Z., (2025, June 11). ‘Alarming’: Lawmakers call for federal investigation of UnitedHealth’s alleged secret payments to nursing homes. Skilled Nursing News. https://skillednursingnews.com/2025/06/alarming-lawmakers-call-for-federal-investigation-of-unitedhealths-alleged-secret-payments-to-nursing-homes/
Johnson, Z. (2025, May 23). UnitedHealth accused of systematically denying nursing home patients needed hospital care – McKnight’s Long-Term Care News. McKnight’s Long-Term Care News. https://www.mcknights.com/news/unitedhealth-accused-of-systematically-denying-nursing-home-patients-needed-hospital-care/
Stulick, A., (2025, May 21). UnitedHealth ‘Secretly paid’ nursing homes, Guardian reports, as UHG pushes back. Skilled Nursing News. https://skillednursingnews.com/2025/05/investigation-finds-unitedhealth-allegedly-paid-kickbacks-to-nursing-homes-but-doj-not-pursuing/
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