Report: UnitedHealth allegedly using legal threats to silence critics
UnitedHealth Group is allegedly using legal threats in an attempt to suppress news outlets and activists from publishing negative information about the company, intensifying efforts after the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of its healthcare division.
According to a new report from the New York Times, a documentary series that focused on UnitedHealth vanished from Amazon Prime and Vimeo shortly after the company threatened the filmmaker with a defamation lawsuit.
The docuseries was made by Mary Stause, a former pharmacy manager. In part, it outlined her grievances against pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, and their impact on drug prices, with specific mention of Optum Rx, a UnitedHealth subsidiary closely associated with its insurance arm, UnitedHealthcare.
The Times said the removal of Stause’s video spurred its investigation into the use of legal pressure to censor critics. It went on to mention how the insurance giant sued the Guardian in June over a report that claimed UnitedHealthcare representatives pressured nursing homes to reduce hospital transfers, leading to serious patient injuries.
The company called the Guardian’s coverage a "demonstrably false" example of muckraking. The outlet said it stands by its story and called the threat an intimidation tactic.
Another incident mentioned by the Times involved Elisabeth Potter, MD, who was threatened with legal action after she said in a viral video that UnitedHealthcare would often deny coverage for patients in the middle of her surgeries. She said the company demanded she recant her claims and take down the post.
Through her attorney, Potter refused to comply.
In letters from its law firm, UnitedHealth cited the murder of Thompson to support its claim, the Times said, arguing online criticism is contributing to violence. To date, the company has been successful at getting content removed on this basis, but none of the lawsuits have been ruled on in court.
For more examples, read the full report from the New York Times at the link below.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.