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By Riley Moser
/ CBS Minnesota
MINNETONKA, Minn. — Nearly a dozen people were arrested Monday outside UnitedHealthcare headquarters in the western suburb of the Twin Cities, protesting what they allege is the company’s practice of not paying for care.
Eleven protesters were arrested by Minnetonka police for blocking the street, according to the People’s Action Institute, which helped organize the protest as part of its Care Over Cost campaign.
The campaign says it aims to bring attention to the health insurance company’s “systemic practice of refusing to approve care through prior authorization denials or pay for care through claim denials.”
“Health insurance coverage has expanded in America, but we are finding it is private health insurance corporations themselves that are often the largest barrier for people to receive the care they and their doctor agree they need,” said Aija Nemer-Aanerud, campaign director with the People’s Action Institute.
Nemer-Aanerud said UnitedHealth Group leadership has “refused to acknowledge that prior authorizations and claim denials are a widespread problem.”
A spokesperson for UnitedHealth Group said it has had dialogue with the People’s Action Institute for some time and has shared “member-related issues” that have since been resolved. The spokesperson went on to say the company wants to engage the group for Minnesota-specific cases but the group hasn’t shared any specific issues that haven’t already been resolved.
“The safety and security of our employees is a top priority. We have resolved the member-specific concerns raised by this group and remain open to a constructive dialogue about ensuring access to high-quality, affordable care,” UnitedHealthcare said in a statement.
In February, UnitedHealth Group’s Change Healthcare suffered a cyberattack, costing the company $872 million. CEO Andrew Witty confirmed during a hearing on Capitol Hill in May that UnitedHealth paid a $22 million ransom in the form of bitcoin.
Despite the hit, UnitedHealth Group trounced first-quarter expectations in 2024. The company projected in an earnings report that the cyberattack was expected to cost between $1.3 billion and $1.6 billion over the course of the year.
UnitedHealth said Tuesday its second-quarter net income fell 23% to $4.22 billion as it continued to absorb the impact of the cyberattack, but that still beat Wall Street expectations, according to The Associated Press.
UnitedHealth provides health insurance for more than 47 million people in the United States. It also provides care, pharmacy benefits management and technology services through its Optum segment.
Riley Moser is a digital producer who covers breaking news and feature stories for CBS Minnesota. Riley started her career at CBS Minnesota in June 2022 and earned an honorable mention for sports writing from the Iowa College Media Association the same year.
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