Senate report says UHG used ‘aggressive strategies’ to increase MA payments 

A Senate Judiciary Committee report released Jan. 12 found that UnitedHealth Group used “aggressive strategies” to maximize its Medicare Advantage risk-adjustment scores and collect higher payments from diagnoses of MA enrollees. The report said that UHG appeared to leverage its size, vertical integration and data analytics to stay ahead of CMS’ efforts to counteract unnecessary spending related to coding practices. “After a review of the records, this report provides evidence that shows UHG has turned risk adjustment into a major profit centered strategy, which was not the original intent of the program,” the report said.