DOJ Sues Health Insurers, Brokers Over Kickbacks & Disability Discrimination

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a False Claims Act complaint against three national health insurers (including Aetna and Humana) and three brokers for allegedly paying illegal kickbacks and discriminating against disabled Americans. The brokers allegedly steered disabled Medicare beneficiaries to insurers who offered lower-quality plans in return for secret commissions, but not higher-cost patients.

 

Key allegations:

 

Kickbacks: Brokers took secret commissions to prioritize insurers' plans, a violation of anti-kickback laws.

 

Discrimination: Disabled beneficiaries could not be admitted to higher-level plans with better coverage.

 

False claims: Insurers are alleged to submit false claims for reimbursement to Medicare, fabricating the quality of plans.

 

The action by the DOJ reflects its 2025 focus on enforcing healthcare anti-discrimination and anti-fraud laws after recent executive orders against False Claims Act abuses.

 

Sources: DOJ, Reuters, Health Law Advisor