ORANGE COUNTY, N.Y.—Congressman Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) has filed with several federal agencies firsthand reports of a decline in health care quality amid an increasing concentration in the ownership of medical practices in the Hudson Valley region, he
said in a statement on April 3.
UnitedHealth Group, the world’s largest health care company, has aggressively expanded its footprint in upstate New York in recent years by buying up major medical groups.
Through its subsidiary Optum, the health care giant scooped up Westchester-based CareMount Medical in 2022 and annexed Middletown-based Crystal Run Healthcare in 2023. The two medical groups have around 2,500 providers serving nearly 1.7 million patients.
Ryan said these acquisitions have hurt his constituents in Orange, Ulster, and Dutchess counties. As of April 3, more than 1,800 people responded to a community survey put out by the congressman’s office about Optum-owned practices. Among patient respondents, nearly half complained about difficulty in getting appointments, one in three about serious customer service issues, and one in four about inaccurate or double billing.
“The heartbreaking stories involved are unlike anything I’ve seen in my time in Congress,” Ryan, who is serving his
second full term, said in a statement, citing disabled children unable to get treatments and a patient waiting up to a year for a cancer diagnosis.
“I’ve already been in touch with Optum to get folks help on an individual basis in the short term, but that is just a band-aid.”
He said he has referred all firsthand reports to the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Federal Trade Commission for further investigation.
“We understand the frustrations some of our patients have been experiencing and are working to make necessary improvements,” Dr. Jonathan Nasser, president and regional chief medical officer at Optum Medical Care, said in a statement to The Epoch Times.
“We remain dedicated to advancing health care in the Hudson Valley and are grateful to serve this community. We look forward to continuing to work with Representative Ryan and policymakers at all levels of government to achieve our common goals.”
According to UnitedHealth Group’s recent year-end
report, Optum saw its revenue grow by 12 percent to $253 billion last year, with a large part attributable to the continued expansion of types and levels of care provided and growth in the number of patients served. Earnings—tracking around a 7 percent margin—grew by 0.2 percent to $18.2 billion in 2024, from $15.9 billion in 2023.
In 2025, Optum expects to grow its patient base by another 650,000 to 5.4 million, according to the company’s most recent earnings
call.
Andrew Witty, CEO of UnitedHealth Group, said during the
call that his company’s mission is to improve the health care system by getting more people into value-based care, a model that focuses on keeping people fit and reining in chronic and preventable diseases.
According to a
report released in October 2024 by the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services, UnitedHealth Group stood out among its peers in questionable use of health risk assessments in seeking to qualify for higher Medicare Advantage payments.
In December 2024, UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson was fatally
shot in an apparent targeted attack on his way to an annual investor conference in New York City.
