Author: Amina Niasse and Ross Kerber
NEW YORK/BOSTON (Reuters) – UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:) shareholders said on Wednesday they have asked the company to prepare a report on the costs and public health impacts associated with “practices that limit or delay access to health care.”
If the proposal is put up for a vote at the company’s annual meeting, it will be a controversial topic following the shooting of a senior executive in Manhattan last month.
A UnitedHealth spokeswoman said the company will respond to shareholder proposals for its 2025 proxy statement once it submits a document that will serve as the agenda for its not-yet-scheduled annual meeting. In recent years, the company has issued proxies in April ahead of its annual meeting in June.
Those submitting the resolution include a religious group led by the Sisters of Jesus and Mary of Quebec and Trillium Asset Management.
The research team proposed an analysis of situations in which patients must obtain prior approval or approval from insurance companies before receiving treatment, and situations in which patients give up treatment due to refusal of medical services.
“UnitedHealth and other insurance companies’ pattern of delaying and denying needed health care harms more than just patients themselves,” said Wendell Potter, president of the Center for Health & Democracy and former Cigna (NYSE:) executive. This is a statement sent in support of the Interfaith Center’s resolution on Corporate Responsibility.
UnitedHealth operates UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest health insurer, and pharmacy benefits managers Optum and Medical Practice.
The killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December sparked criticism of U.S. health insurers, with numerous patients describing their care being delayed or denied and accusing the company of using deceptive practices. I did it.
Luigi Mangione, 26, the man accused of killing Thompson, pleaded not guilty in a New York court in December last year after receiving thousands of dollars in public donations shortly after his arrest.
UnitedHealth said in a December statement that it approves and pays an average of 90% of medical claims submitted.
“Highly inaccurate and misleading information has been disseminated about our company’s insurance claims processing,” UnitedHealth said.
In a message to employees, UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty described Thompson as “one of the good guys,” adding that the company would continue to serve the most vulnerable Americans.
