Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group made headlines this year amid federal lawsuits and multibillion dollar acquisitions to diversify its offerings.
Here are five of the most-read stories about UnitedHealth this past year, as reported by Becker's Hospital Review.
1. UnitedHealth acquires Advisory Board's healthcare arm. In July, reports surfaced UnitedHealth Group planned to acquire The Advisory Board's healthcare division, sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. Advisory Board shareholders approved the $1.3 billion sale in November.
2. DOJ sues UnitedHealth over $1 billion in Medicare claims. The Justice Department sued UnitedHealth Group in May, alleging the payer defrauded Medicare of at least $1 billion in false claims.
3. UnitedHealth's Optum to buy DaVita Medical Group for $4.9 billion. UnitedHealth Group's Optum unit will acquire DaVita Medical Group for approximately $4.9 billion in cash, adding nearly 300 medical clinics to its network. The agreement, announced in December, is expected to close in 2018.
4. CMS fines UnitedHealthcare $2.5 million over improper Medicare denials, delays. In March, CMS fined UnitedHealthcare $2.5 million after an audit found systemic compliance problems with its Medicare health plans that led beneficiaries to experience delayed or denied access to prescription drug coverage.
5. UnitedHealth's Optum launches $250 million investment fund. UnitedHealth's Optum unit launched a $250 million investment fund to invest in healthcare-focused startups in November.
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