Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in a January 7, 2026  letter informed UnitedHealth Group (UHG) CEO Stephen Hemsley of their renewed inquiry “with heightened alarm” after the insurer provided an insufficient response to their initial query in August 2025 around allegations that skilled nursing patients died as a result of a push to avoid hospitalizations.

A May 21, 2025 article in The Guardian found that UHG’s subsidiary Optum bullied and financially incentivized nursing homes to disregard requests for hospital transfers in their institutional special needs plans (I-SNPs).

The senators’ letter warns that if UnitedHealth fails to fully respond, they “will pursue answers to this critical inquiry using all tools at the Committee’s disposal.”

In December 2025, The Guardian followed up on its May story with one detailing three cases in which nursing home residents allegedly died after Optum delayed or denied hospital transfers. LeadingAge has spoken with Senator Wyden’s office about this inquiry and emphasized our members’ experience and the value of provider run I-SNPs.