MINNETONKA, Minn. (AP) — Shares of UnitedHealth Group dove early Thursday after the health care giant said it was under a Department of Justice investigation.
The company said it has started complying with both criminal and civil requests from federal investigators and it was working cooperatively with them.
“(UnitedHealth) has a long record of responsible conduct and effective compliance,” the company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal said federal officials had launched a civil fraud investigation into how the company records diagnoses that lead to extra payments for its Medicare Advantage, or MA, plans. Those are privately run versions of the government’s Medicare coverage program mostly for people ages 65 and over.
The company said Thursday that it reached out to the justice department “after reviewing media reports about investigations into certain aspects of the company’s participation in the Medicare program.”
Company shares were down nearly 4%, or $11.51, to $281.12 before markets opened Thursday.