Robby Martin has joined a lawsuit against UnitedHealth after the insurance giant cut off his father’s nursing home coverage – five days later his father died at home.
In a statement, the spokesperson for UnitedHealth’s subsidiary said the Senate committee investigation “mischaracterizes” Medicare Advantage and the company’s clinical practices while ignoring federal criteria “demanding greater scrutiny around post-acute care”.
Martin’s struggle to access care after a hospital visit is not a rare occurrence for older people enrolled in UnitedHealth’s Medicare Advantage program.
The retired paper plant foreman was enrolled in UnitedHealth’s Medicare Advantage program, a federal privatization initiative that offers insurers a lump sum to cover services comparable to those under traditional Medicare.
A spokesperson for Optum, one of UnitedHealth’s subsidiaries, said she could not discuss Martin’s case without a waiver releasing the company from federal health information protections.
