(Reuters) -Senators Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren are launching an investigation into UnitedHealth Group related to allegations that the healthcare conglomerate secretly paid nursing homes thousands in bonuses to help slash hospital transfers for ailing residents.
In a letter dated August 6 to UnitedHealth CEO Stephen Hemsley, the senators called on the company to provide detailed information about its reported incentive programming and its impact on residents.
The senators have sought responses by September 8.
In May, the UK’s Guardian newspaper reported the company made secret payments to nursing homes, as part of a series of cost-cutting tactics, that saved the company millions, but at times risked residents’ health, citing an investigation carried out by the newspaper.
At that time, UnitedHealth had said the U.S. Department of Justice had investigated those allegations, interviewed witnesses, and obtained thousands of documents that demonstrated the significant factual inaccuracies in the allegations.
(Reporting by Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
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