The $84 billion question haunting American healthcare takes center stage as Nathan Kaufman returns to unpack the bombshell criminal investigation into UnitedHealthcare's alleged Medicare fraud. Drawing from his 48 years of healthcare expertise, Kaufman reveals the troubling mechanics behind how the nation's largest insurer potentially manipulated the Medicare Advantage system through aggressive "upcoding" – artificially inflating patient illness scores to extract higher government payments.

This eye-opening conversation exposes the stark reality that UnitedHealthcare somehow generated a staggering 95% of all Medicare Advantage profits in 2024, raising serious questions about their operational practices compared to competitors. We dive deep into the company's concerning denial patterns, where approximately one in ten Medicare Advantage claims gets rejected, yet when patients fight back, 70-80% of appeals succeed – suggesting many initial denials lack merit.

Beyond the investigation itself, we explore the fundamental conflict at the heart of our healthcare system: the misaligned incentives that reward denying care rather than providing it. As Kaufman aptly describes healthcare as "the largest segment of the largest economy in the history of the world," we confront the uncomfortable truth that 24 cents of every federal dollar now flows into a system that too often prioritizes corporate profits over patient wellbeing. Whether you're concerned about healthcare costs, insurance practices, or the future of Medicare and Medicaid, this conversation offers crucial insights into how the complexity and opacity of our healthcare system benefits powerful interests while leaving patients vulnerable. Subscribe now to join our growing community of listeners seeking fiercely nonpartisan analysis of today's most pressing issues.

Support the show

Engage the conversation on Substack at The Common Bridge!