the same company that has more than one of these types of charges against it
The United Healthcare Insurance Company, a unit of UnitedHealth Group, will pay $3.5 million to settle charges that it defrauded the federal Medicare program, the Justice Department said yesterday. United Healthcare ”knowingly mishandled” phone inquiries from Medicare beneficiaries and health care providers, then made false reports to the federal government about how it handled the calls, the department said in a news release. The activities took place for five years ending in 2000, the government said. United Healthcare did not admit wrongdoing in reaching the settlement. UnitedHealth’s press office did not return a phone call. A former United Healthcare employee began the case in 2001 by filing a whistleblower lawsuit, in which the Justice Department intervened.
has become involved in the NHS
Many observers said, however, that developments in the past 12 months meant that the writing was already on the wall for primary care trusts. At the start of the year, North Eastern Derbyshire Primary Care Trust invited United Health Europe to run two general practices. In May, Barking and Dagenham Primary Care Trust signed a £5m contract with Care UK, under which the private firm will provide GP services for more than 7000 patients in East London
and has routinely denied claims
is now news again
The chief executive of one of the nation’s largest health insurance companies retired under pressure Sunday, the latest executive to fall in an options-based pay scandal that is unfolding at scores of companies nationwide.
UnitedHealth Group Inc. announced that William McGuire, 59, was leaving — along with a director who oversaw executive compensation and the firm’s top lawyer.
The announcement came in the wake of a board-commissioned investigation that found that stock option grants were “likely backdated” to allow insiders to maximize financial gains.
President and Chief Operating Officer Stephen Helmsley was tapped to replace McGuire. He said little about the stock options controversy in a statement released Sunday.
“In light of the recently completed investigation, I have determined that it is in the best interests of the company that I assist Steve Helmsley in an orderly transition to succeed me as CEO,” McGuire said.
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Golly gee willikers beav I can hardly wait till they take hold in Canada.
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