Jessica Mendoza

As they went through the data, something stood out to Chris. There were diagnoses on patients' records that were put there by insurers. This is important because of how Medicare Advantage works. For certain kinds of diagnoses, many of which are expensive to treat, the private insurer gets an extra payment from the government. That payment is meant to cover the cost of treatment.

And what do the health insurance companies have to say about your reporting?

And what do the health insurance companies have to say about your reporting?

And what do the health insurance companies have to say about your reporting?

Last year, the team published a series of stories based on the data and their reporting. One of those stories caught the eye of a nurse practitioner, and what she read really resonated with her.

Last year, the team published a series of stories based on the data and their reporting. One of those stories caught the eye of a nurse practitioner, and what she read really resonated with her.

Last year, the team published a series of stories based on the data and their reporting. One of those stories caught the eye of a nurse practitioner, and what she read really resonated with her.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Kristen started working for UnitedHealth in 2017. She'd visit patients at their homes as part of a program called House Calls. It's available to people who are signed up for the company's Medicare Advantage plans. The idea behind the program, according to UnitedHealth, is to help improve care. For instance, by catching diseases early, especially if it's something a doctor might have missed.

Kristen started working for UnitedHealth in 2017. She'd visit patients at their homes as part of a program called House Calls. It's available to people who are signed up for the company's Medicare Advantage plans. The idea behind the program, according to UnitedHealth, is to help improve care. For instance, by catching diseases early, especially if it's something a doctor might have missed.

Kristen started working for UnitedHealth in 2017. She'd visit patients at their homes as part of a program called House Calls. It's available to people who are signed up for the company's Medicare Advantage plans. The idea behind the program, according to UnitedHealth, is to help improve care. For instance, by catching diseases early, especially if it's something a doctor might have missed.

The nurse practitioner visits usually took about an hour, and Kristen says she saw around four patients a day. She says the work felt meaningful.

The nurse practitioner visits usually took about an hour, and Kristen says she saw around four patients a day. She says the work felt meaningful.

The nurse practitioner visits usually took about an hour, and Kristen says she saw around four patients a day. She says the work felt meaningful.

UnitedHealth told us that it sends home visit findings to primary care doctors and that the visits are not intended to replace appointments with them. As part of her visits, Kristen did a lot of testing on her patients. What were you trying to assess with each patient?

UnitedHealth told us that it sends home visit findings to primary care doctors and that the visits are not intended to replace appointments with them. As part of her visits, Kristen did a lot of testing on her patients. What were you trying to assess with each patient?

UnitedHealth told us that it sends home visit findings to primary care doctors and that the visits are not intended to replace appointments with them. As part of her visits, Kristen did a lot of testing on her patients. What were you trying to assess with each patient?

Were you being directed to do anything specific, these visits by your employer or your manager?