UnitedHealthcare Denied 33% of Claims in 2023 While Posting Record Profits, Analysis Shows
By
Thefirmo Editorial Team
Front-window bakery material. Catches the eye, delivers the goods.
Summary
UnitedHealthcare denied 33% of all claims in 2023, while its parent company UnitedHealth Group reported $22.4 billion in net earnings and record stock highs. The article argues this is not coincidental — a significant portion of profits came from denying claims and counting on patients not to appeal. It examines the business model where claim denials directly boost insurer profitability, and critiques the systemic incentives that make this practice standard in the health insurance industry.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledIn 2023, UnitedHealthcare denied one in every three claims it received. That same year, its parent company, UnitedHealth Group, reported $22.4 billion in net earnings, and its stock reached record highs. Those two facts are not in tension. They are the same fact.
The health insurance profits generated by America's largest insurer did not come primarily from pricing risk accurately or managing care efficiently. A significant portion came from saying no and counting on most people not to fight back.
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