Jessica Mendoza

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

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

After she'd been with house calls for a little while, Kristen noticed some things that made her pause. Like when she entered a patient's information into her laptop or tablet, she says the UnitedHealth software would automatically start suggesting diagnoses based on what she put in.

After she'd been with house calls for a little while, Kristen noticed some things that made her pause. Like when she entered a patient's information into her laptop or tablet, she says the UnitedHealth software would automatically start suggesting diagnoses based on what she put in.

After she'd been with house calls for a little while, Kristen noticed some things that made her pause. Like when she entered a patient's information into her laptop or tablet, she says the UnitedHealth software would automatically start suggesting diagnoses based on what she put in.

Documents show that these suggestions would appear in a so-called diagnosis cart on the side of the screen, and the suggestions would show up even if the patient didn't feel any symptoms. UnitedHealth told us that the final diagnosis was left up to the nurse practitioner and that the company is confident that its clinicians act in good faith.

Documents show that these suggestions would appear in a so-called diagnosis cart on the side of the screen, and the suggestions would show up even if the patient didn't feel any symptoms. UnitedHealth told us that the final diagnosis was left up to the nurse practitioner and that the company is confident that its clinicians act in good faith.

Documents show that these suggestions would appear in a so-called diagnosis cart on the side of the screen, and the suggestions would show up even if the patient didn't feel any symptoms. UnitedHealth told us that the final diagnosis was left up to the nurse practitioner and that the company is confident that its clinicians act in good faith.

Kristen also started getting the message from a manager that she should do more testing on her patients.

Kristen also started getting the message from a manager that she should do more testing on her patients.

Kristen also started getting the message from a manager that she should do more testing on her patients.

After working at the House Calls program for about a year, Kristen told us that she eventually began doing the tests she was asked to do. And after that, she got a raise.

After working at the House Calls program for about a year, Kristen told us that she eventually began doing the tests she was asked to do. And after that, she got a raise.

After working at the House Calls program for about a year, Kristen told us that she eventually began doing the tests she was asked to do. And after that, she got a raise.

UnitedHealth told us that their nurse practitioners are not, quote, Chris looked at a three-year period where Medicare Advantage insurers sent out nurse practitioners like Kristen to run tests and add diagnoses to patient records, including diagnoses of the kinds of conditions that trigger those extra payments. The extra payments added up to about $15 billion during that time.

UnitedHealth told us that their nurse practitioners are not, quote, Chris looked at a three-year period where Medicare Advantage insurers sent out nurse practitioners like Kristen to run tests and add diagnoses to patient records, including diagnoses of the kinds of conditions that trigger those extra payments. The extra payments added up to about $15 billion during that time.

UnitedHealth told us that their nurse practitioners are not, quote, Chris looked at a three-year period where Medicare Advantage insurers sent out nurse practitioners like Kristen to run tests and add diagnoses to patient records, including diagnoses of the kinds of conditions that trigger those extra payments. The extra payments added up to about $15 billion during that time.

And some of those diagnoses weren't even real. That's next. Chris and Ana found that diagnoses weren't just showing up on Medicare Advantage patient records after home visits. They were also on records after patients went to see doctors or hospitals. The team found that over a three-year period, all of these additional diagnoses added up to $50 billion in federal payments to the insurers.

And some of those diagnoses weren't even real. That's next. Chris and Ana found that diagnoses weren't just showing up on Medicare Advantage patient records after home visits. They were also on records after patients went to see doctors or hospitals. The team found that over a three-year period, all of these additional diagnoses added up to $50 billion in federal payments to the insurers.

And some of those diagnoses weren't even real. That's next. Chris and Ana found that diagnoses weren't just showing up on Medicare Advantage patient records after home visits. They were also on records after patients went to see doctors or hospitals. The team found that over a three-year period, all of these additional diagnoses added up to $50 billion in federal payments to the insurers.