Two key Democratic senators are renewing their push for answers from UnitedHealth Group around policies for nursing home care.
Sens. Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren sent a letter (PDF) to UnitedHealth CEO Stephen Hemsley on Tuesday, requesting further details on policies and programs that allegedly incentivized nursing homes to avoid sending patients to the hospital.
The Guardian reported in May 2025 that kickbacks were paid to nursing homes to avoid transfers to the hospital, and that this put patients who were seriously ill in potential risk. UnitedHealth filed a defamation lawsuit against the outlet in response to the news.
The news outlet reported in December on two lawsuits allegedly linked to these programs.
In the letter, Wyden and Warren wrote that UnitedHealth has "failed to respond adequately to our inquiry." The senators first wrote to UHG about the nursing home allegations in August, and while the insurer did respond with a briefing in July, there were unanswered questions.
"Because your responses to our inquiries thus far have been inadequate and following extremely disturbing allegations in new reporting, we are increasingly alarmed by the issues we reiterate here," they wrote. "As new reporting alleges shocking harms resulting from the policies in question, we expect you to meet the urgency of our inquiry."
The letter seeks answers to a slew of questions by Jan. 28. The senators said a number of these questions are unresolved queries from the August request.
In a statement to Fierce Health, a spokesperson for UnitedHealth Group said the company will "continue to engage with Senators Warren and Wyden and their staff."
"We categorically reject any assertion that UnitedHealth Group or Optum engage in practices that endanger patient safety or violate ethical standards," they said. "Our approach improves outcomes, reduces unnecessary hospitalizations, and supports individualized care planning—always prioritizing the health, safety, and dignity of those we serve."
"We stand firmly behind our program, which has provided decades of compliant, specialized care and support for seniors in nursing homes," the spokesperson said.