I saw a headline today that UnitedHealthcare has acknowledged that its Medicare business is being investigated by the Department of Justice. In the old days, which is to say basically any time before January 2025, I would have assumed that UHC had probably been guilty of some kind of wrongdoing. Or let me state that more precisely: I would have assumed that there was evidence meriting an investigation, whether that was civil, criminal, perhaps over antitrust. I would assume merit. When I heard this news today my default assumption was that UHC was being punished by the Trump administration or had gotten crosswise in some way with the White House. It’s not even either/or. Let’s assume the probe starts for legitimate reasons. The fact that UHC couldn’t make an offering at the White House and have the probe killed must mean they’re on the outs, right?
It’s too much to say — I think, or I hope — that there’s no one left at the DOJ interested in simply enforcing the law. It’s also true that the gutting has been spread around unequally. Some divisions are more or less intact. But certainly the weight of crookdom and integrity has shifted significantly. Unfortunately, my shift in assumptions seems merited.
