Planet Fitness holding grand opening for new Salem location Wednesday  WFMJ.com
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Federal government examining whether insurance giant is illegally raising Medicare program users’ monthly payments
The US Department of Justice is reportedly investigating the insurance giant UnitedHealthcare for its Medicare billing practices.
The federal government is examining whether UnitedHealthcare is using patient diagnoses to illegally increase the lump sum monthly payments received through the Medicare Advantage program, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
Although it is best known for its insurance operations, UnitedHealthcare is one of the largest corporations in the world with a $457bn market capitalization. Its businesses touch health technology, pharmacy benefits and physician practices.
The company is so large that one industry analyst estimated 5% of US gross domestic product flowed through its infrastructure each day. It is the largest employer of doctors in the US with more than 90,000 physicians in 2023, or nearly one in 10 American doctors.
According to the report, the justice department is now conducting a civil fraud investigation.
Medicare is a public health insurance program for the elderly and disabled that covers more than 65 million Americans. About half of those beneficiaries use Medicare Advantage plans – a program started by Congress to allow private insurers to manage beneficiaries’ care.
At the time it was created, during the George W Bush administration, supporters argued private corporations would be able to more efficiently provide the same services as government and save taxpayers money.
However, a raft of studies now show the program probably costs taxpayers billions more each year. A study by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (Medpac) found that in 2024 alone, Medicare Advantage plans probably cost taxpayers $83bn (22%) more than traditional Medicare.
Further, an increasing number of patients have complained about how the program makes it difficult to access care, for example by requiring patients to seek permission, or “prior authorization”, from insurers before treatment.
The investigation into UnitedHealthcare is being carried out by the Department of Justice’s civil fraud division and the Department of Health and Human Services office of the inspector general, the journal reported. The investigation is separate from an ongoing Department of Justice antitrust inquiry.
In a statement responding to the journal’s report, UnitedHealthgroup said: “The Wall Street Journal continues to report misinformation on the Medicare Advantage (MA) program. The government regularly reviews all [Medicare Advantage] plans to ensure compliance and we consistently perform at the industry’s highest levels on those reviews.”
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The statement continued: “We are not aware of the ‘launch’ of any ‘new’ activity as reported by the Journal. We are aware, however, that the Journal has engaged in a year-long campaign to defend a legacy system that rewards volume over keeping patients healthy and addressing their underlying conditions. Any suggestion that our practices are fraudulent is outrageous and false.”
The enormous company has come under scrutiny for other parts of its business as well. UnitedHealth Group owns Change Healthcare, a technology company that facilitates as much as one-third of all payments from insurers to providers. A huge data breach in 2024 allowed hackers to “exfiltrate” as many as 85m patient records – the event was described by one analyst as healthcare’s “Deepwater Horizon moment”.
More scrutiny of the company was brought by the murder of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, Brian Thompson. The killing of the executive described as a kind family man was met with apathy and derision from the American public, who described routinely being denied healthcare.
UnitedHealth’s stock declined 10% in early morning trading on the news.

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What global healthcare systems can learn from Denmark’s postpartum care plan  World Health Expo
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SPONSORED The growing demand for affordable health care for Ohioans  Axios
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Protecting our brains helps us stay sharper later in life so we can continue to do the cognitive tasks and activities we love. Some days, I feel like my brain is working better than other days, and lots of factors tend to come into it, such as how well I slept and how I’ve been eating. One factor that plays a role is exercise. I’m impressed by much of the research so far, which shows us how regular exercise is beneficial for our brains and boosts BDNF. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein that aids in the survival and growth of neurons and allows your brain to change and adapt over time, which is crucial for learning and memory.
Recently, researchers wanted to know whether working out and building muscle are protective against the risk of dementia. Are you at a higher risk of dementia if you have muscle loss over the years? Let’s take a look at the research.
In a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health, & Aging, researchers explored the association between muscle loss and issues with memory. The study involved 2,163 adults over the age of 64 who didn’t have any symptoms of dementia. Researchers focused on muscle loss and memory decline. For the six-year study, participants completed questionnaires that helped researchers identify signs of muscle loss and cognitive decline.
The questionnaire included questions about strength and whether participants had difficulty standing up from a chair, needed help walking, experienced falls, or had trouble with mobility. Participants were also asked if they had issues with attention span, memory, or both.
135 of the 2,163 adults developed dementia over the course of the study. Here are the interesting results:
The researchers concluded that muscle loss and memory troubles increased the risk of developing dementia later.
This study shows us that building muscle over the years doesn’t just give us a more sculpted physique; it also helps protect our brains and could lower the risk of dementia. The next time I’m struggling through those last few reps, I’ll try to remember that I’m also keeping my brain sharp. This adds to previous research showing that older adults who regularly lifted weights had improvements in the strength of brain neurons, white matter of the brain, and verbal episodic memory. 
Avid runners have tips and tricks to boost speed and endurance, train for a marathon, and enhance overall fitness. Lately, the trending term “fasted cardio” is everywhere in the fitness world. Food is fuel, energy, and information for your cells, but some athletes and fitness enthusiasts claim that running on empty without food is the way to go. What is fasted running, and what does the science show? Let’s explore.
What is fasted cardio?
While repetitive squats and walking lunges can be challenging, I always feel like I’m leveling up my fitness after powering through them. When I was learning to walk again, going through physical therapy, and trying to regain strength in severely atrophied muscles and bone on one side of my lower body, squats were actually a key exercise in my recovery, as much as I didn’t always feel like doing them.
Interestingly, children and toddlers squat down frequently, and it’s a natural and beneficial movement. Many people think squatting, especially deep squats where your calves and quads touch, could be bad for your knees and joint health. Recently, researchers explored whether this holds any weight or if it’s another widely spread misconception. Are deep squats really bad for your knees?
The Centers for Disease Control estimates only 20% of Americans strength train a few times a week. Some people think you have to spend countless hours pumping iron in pools of sweat to see results. Those of us with busy schedules are focused on getting the most out of the time we spend working out and maximizing our results with the time we have. 
In this hot-off-the-press study, researchers explored how many hours of weekly strength training boost muscle strength. Here’s the research.
The Essential Guide for MenThe Manual is simple — we show men how to live a life that is more engaged. As our name implies, we offer a suite of expert guides on a wide range of topics, including fashion, food, drink, travel, and grooming. We don’t boss you around; we’re simply here to bring authenticity and understanding to all that enriches our lives as men on a daily basis.

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By Josh Recamara
The Connecticut Senate has passed legislation that would expand the state insurance commissioner’s authority over health insurance rate approvals, introduce new restrictions on step therapy and limit insurers’ ability to deny reimbursement for general anaesthesia based on time constraints, according to a report from AM Best.
Senate Bill 10 would allow the commissioner to reduce a proposed rate increase by up to two percentage points if a carrier’s average approved rate hikes over the previous two years exceeded the state’s healthcare cost growth benchmark. The provision would apply to individual and small group plans covering up to 50 employees.
Current law directs the Connecticut Insurance Department to review rate filings to determine whether they are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory. The bill would add “unaffordability” as a factor in the rate review process, according to the report.
In written testimony, the department supported the inclusion of affordability but expressed concern that SB 10 could create conflicting outcomes without guidance on how to resolve that conflict.
Jim Carson, legislative director for the department, said a separate proposal backed by Governor Phil Scott offers a more consistent approach. Under that bill, the department would maintain its existing review process but include an additional step allowing the commissioner to assess whether a rate is affordable. If a proposed rate exceeded the benchmark and was deemed unaffordable, the commissioner would have the authority to impose a two percentage point reduction.
Carson said the ability to adjust rates based on affordability could encourage insurers to negotiate lower healthcare costs with providers.
SB 10 also prohibits insurers from denying or reducing reimbursement for general anaesthesia solely because a procedure exceeded a predetermined time limit. The bill bars carriers from imposing such time-based limits in cases involving medically necessary care.
In addition, the bill would restrict the use of step therapy for medications used to treat multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. It would also remove the expiration date on an existing step therapy prohibition for drugs prescribed for mental health conditions.
Other provisions in the bill establish new reporting requirements aimed at monitoring compliance with mental health parity standards. The legislation would give the commissioner authority to issue civil penalties against carriers that fail to meet those standards.
Separately, Insurance Commissioner Andrew Mais said the department is continuing efforts to sell all or part of the business of PHL Variable Insurance Co. as part of an ongoing rehabilitation process.
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The nation’s largest health insurance company based in the Twin Cities remains on high alert three months after the killing of its chief executive officer, Brian Thompson.
Thompson was shot and killed in early December outside of a New York City hotel in what police described as a “brazen, targeted attack” on the 50-year-old from Minnesota.
In the days immediately following the shooting, a Minnetonka police officer arrived at the sprawling campus of UnitedHealthcare before the sun came up, according to records obtained by 5 INVESTIGATES.
Those records reveal an officer has been stationed at the entrance of the main building nearly every day for the last three months.
To date, UnitedHealthcare has paid the City of Minnetonka almost $150,000 for police to work contracted overtime. A city spokesperson confirmed the company is being charged the standard off-duty rate of $110 per hour. 
The police presence offers a window into the extraordinary lengths UnitedHealthcare is taking to protect its employees from threats following Thompson’s killing.
“When you’re looking for some immediate assistance, [the police are] going to be your first call,” said Dave Skinner, who runs NTS Security in Minneapolis. 
Skinner does not work with UnitedHealthcare but says inquiries started coming into his office right after the shooting.
“When the murder of Brian Thompson happened, guys like myself within the industry started receiving phone calls from these companies looking for protective services,” he said. “Everybody that I know in the industry was immediately working and scrambling to get people in place.”
That brazen shooting in New York City captivated the nation and also put a spotlight on the business practices of the county’s largest insurer.
The accused murderer, Luigi Mangione, became something of a folk hero. Protestors have even shown up in his support at a recent court hearing in New York City.
The case is raising the stakes here in Minnesota. Employees are reminded of the tragedy every day when they arrive at the headquarters building in Minnetonka. The off-duty police officer sits near a newly erected guard shack off the main entrance.
“It’s typically not a permanent solution,” Skinner said of the overtime patrols. “It’s typically temporary until they can take a good look at their security program and they can increase their security measures on the physical and operational levels.”
Skinner said the patrols mainly act as a deterrent and help staff feel safe. They can also lead to faster responses.
In fact, police records obtained by 5 INVESTIGATES show the day after Thompson’s killing, UnitedHealthcare security called Minnetonka Police about a threat against another executive.
The security team found a comment on the executive’s LinkedIn page from a user identified only as “Second Hand” who wrote, simply, “You’re next.”
”You really have to take a hard look at those threats because that’s what that was, that was a threat. Is it a credible threat? Who made the threat? And it’s very easy to track that down with the tools that law enforcement has,” Skinner said.
No charges were ever filed related to the LinkedIn threat, but the screenshots are now saved as evidence.
The new normal at UnitedHealthcare is still evolving three months after Thompson’s killing.
The most obvious signs are new fencing, third-party security, and police. Less obvious is what the public can no longer see: the company used to have bios for its entire leadership team posted online.
The page is no longer active.
Skinner says he’s seeing large corporations follow that trend – scrubbing bios and social media pages as an extra precaution.
“It’s a really good time, in very unfortunate circumstances, but a really good time for all of them to take a look at their physical and operational security measures to make sure that they are sufficient, they are protected,” he said.

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