Summary
Three UnitedHealth-owned companies—HealthMarkets and its subsidiaries—were ordered to pay over $165 million for deceptive practices in Massachusetts between 2012 and 2016.
A Suffolk County judge ruled they violated the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act by misleading consumers into buying unnecessary supplemental insurance, with agents trained to obscure costs.
The penalties include $50.1 million in restitution and $115.1 million in civil penalties, the largest ever under the state’s consumer protection law.
UnitedHealthcare plans to appeal.
And they’ll increase premiums across the board by 1% permanently to cover the cost and increase profit. The line must go up.