UnitedHealth’s Medicare advantage billing tactics amid fraud allegations
On Feb. 21, Luigi Mangione appeared in New York State Court to face murder and terror charges for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to CNN.
NBC News states that, “Dozens of Mangione supporters started lining up outside the courthouse around 4 a.m., hoping for a chance to be inside the room for the afternoon hearing.”
In a statement posted this week on a website for his legal defense, Mangione said, “I am overwhelmed by—and grateful for—everyone who has written me to share their stories and express their support.”
Jeenah Moon/Reuters
The attention around this case sparked broader discussion about the healthcare system. The Department of Justice is launching a civil fraud investigation into UnitedHealth Group’s Medicare billing practices, reports The Wall Street Journal.
The probe examines whether the company inappropriately recorded diagnoses to increase federal payments for its Medicare Advantage plans. Doctors have reported that UnitedHealth encouraged them to document additional diagnoses. Some diagnoses, like secondary hyperaldosteronism, were allegedly added without lab tests, reported by Straight Arrow News.
The WSJ analysis further found UnitedHealth-employed doctors significantly increased lucrative diagnoses after patients joined their Medicare Advantage plans. UnitedHealth denied wrongdoing, arguing its practices improve early disease detection and reduce healthcare costs.
The company accused Wall Street Journal of conducting “a year-long campaign against Medicare Advantage” and called any suggestion of fraud “outrageous and false,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
Musk’s mission: The five-achievement challenge
Federal workers received an email instructing them to document five things they accomplished in the past week, CBS News reports. Elon Musk, who is overseeing the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), said those who don’t reply would risk losing their jobs via a post on X.
“Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation,” the post reads after stating that “[c]onsistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week.”
However, at least three agencies have told their workers to ignore the request and not respond, casting doubt on whether Musk’s threat is enforceable.
The United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) had asked federal employees to submit a summary of their activities by Monday, but agencies like the FBI, State Department and Pentagon have instructed workers to ignore the request.
The Department of Defense (DOD) instructed its civilian workforce to disregard the billionaire’s request, while Kash Patel, who was confirmed by the Senate last week as the new FBI director, also told employees to stand down, reports Fox News.
CBS News reports that Trump praised Musk’s efforts at DOGE to reduce government waste. Everett Kelley, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees writes, “This request, and the resulting confusion, is not just inappropriate–it is disruptive to essential government functions,” stated The Guardian.
Las Vegas woman charged in deadly romance scam targeting elderly men
Aurora Phelps, 43, a Las Vegas woman with dual citizenship in the U.S. and Mexico, has been charged in a 21-count indictment for an alleged romance scheme. Investigators say she used online dating apps to lure and drug mostly older men, gaining access to their banks, cars, Social Security and retirement accounts.
Phelps, who is currently in custody in Mexico, is facing a federal indictment with seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, six counts of bank fraud, three counts of identity theft, one count of kidnapping and one count of kidnapping resulting in death. If convicted, she could be sentenced to life in prison, according to CNN.
FBI
Phelps allegedly met a victim online in July 2021, and over the next two months, “attempted to persuade him to travel with her to Mexico,” reports CBS News.
US News reported that in November 2021, she met the man for lunch, drugged him without his consent and left him unconscious for five days, during which she stole electronics and used his information to sell his $3.3 million Apple stock.
CNN reports that a year later, Phelps met another elderly man online, drugged him in person and accessed his financial accounts. She used his American Express card, convinced him to fly to Mexico City and rented a hotel room with his Wells Fargo card. Phelps returned to the U.S. without the second victim, who was found dead in the hotel.
Phelps also allegedly transferred $7,000 from another victim’s Capital One account to buy a motorcycle and made wire transfers totaling $3,849 into her and her husband’s accounts. She changed the victim’s Social Security password.
Furthermore, the aforementioned CNN article stated that in December 2021, Phelps met a third victim at the Hard Rock Hotel in Guadalajara, Mexico, and “caused him to disappear.” Over the next year, she took his Social Security payments, withdrew money from his bank and stole his BMW. She is also accused of trying to become a beneficiary of his retirement account.
As AP News reported, the final victim was found dead in his bathroom in Guadalajara, Mexico, after meeting Phelps in May 2022. Phelps is accused of stealing from his accounts, including using one to buy a gold coin she allegedly mailed to her house.
“Officials believe there are more people in the U.S. and Mexico who either have information about Phelps or were scammed themselves,” The Independent stated. “If convicted on all counts, Phelps could face life in prison.”