United Healthcare Fined $800,000 by North Carolina

After receiving a $2.2 million dollar fine in 2004, the highest ever issued by the North Carolina Dept. of Insurance, UHC has agree to pay nearly $800,000 to the state in order to resolve allegations that it violated North Carolina law.

The DOI began an investigation in 2003 after consumers and doctors filed complaints about the insurance company. The investigation discovered numerous problems with the companies' claims handling process.

United Healthcare, often accused of over-aggressive benefit slashing, continues to be bogged down with legal battles. The following articles chronicle some of their legal woes:

• New York Attorney General threatens UHC with Injunction

• Washington Insurance Commissioner Orders UHC to Pay Fine Following Investigation
• ACN (UHC Affiliate) Accused of "systematically and illegally denying, delaying, and diminishing payments", Nebraska Chiropractic Association Files Suit
• ACN (UHC Affiliate) Accused of Harming Consumers by Inappropriately Limiting Care
• "UHC/ACN created a way to cut healthcare costs that affects the quality of healthcare available to patients" According to Missouri Lawsuit
• Miami judge dismissed lawsuit against UHC brought by 700,000 medical doctors who claimed the insurers had conspired to arbitrarily deny or reduce claims. Despite this setback, Chiropractic Association continues its lawsuit

• ACN (UHC Affiliatee) is Among Insurers Who Recieve the Most Complaints for Routinely Denying Treatment, Reimbursement, and Putting Patients at Risk

• Class Action Lawsuit Against UHC to be Filed in Pinellas County, Florida

• UHC Agrees to Pay $3.5 Million to Settle Suit that Alledged The Company Systematically Defrauded Medicare

• Arizona Dept of Insurance ordered UHC to pay the largest fine in the department's history for violations of state insurance laws.