UnitedHealth under criminal probe for possible Medicare fraud: Report

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating UnitedHealth Group for possible Medicare fraud, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

While the exact nature of the criminal allegations are unclear, the Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter, the probe by the healthcare-fraud unit of the DOJ's criminal division is active since at least last summer.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the details of the report.

The company's stock fell 6.7 per cent in after-hour trade following the WSJ report.

In February, the Journal had reported a civil fraud investigation by the DOJ into the company's practices for recording diagnoses that triggered extra payments to its Medicare Advantage plans.

A DOJ spokesman declined to comment to the Journal. UnitedHealth Group and the DOJ did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comments.