Disappearing Video, Legal Threats: How UnitedHealth, Largest U.S. Health Insurer, Silences Critics

[Uncle Joe]

In a major new New York Times exposé on health insurance behemoth UnitedHealth, deputy investigations editor David Enrich reveals how the largest insurer in the country works to intimidate and silence critics of its often predatory and exploitative treatment of patients. While "companies do this kind of stuff all the time," Enrich says, UnitedHealth's lawyers "were really going after some fairly obscure stuff, and that suggested to me that this was a campaign of desperation." Enrich's investigation found instances of this "very aggressive campaign to shut down criticism and scrutiny" from even before the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December. UnitedHealthcare is one of two main subsidiaries, alongside Optum, of UnitedHealth. Enrich discusses the experiences of some of these critics, from doctors on TikTok to newspaper reporters like himself.

Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET.