UnitedHealth Group shares tumbled early Friday on a report that the U.S. Department of Justice has started an investigation into the health care giant’s Medicare billing practices. The Wall Street Journal said federal officials have launched a civil fraud investigation into how the company records diagnoses that lead to extra payments for its Medicare Advantage plans. The paper, citing anonymous sources, said the probe focused on billing practices in recent months. When asked for comment by The Associated Press, a UnitedHealth representative said they “will let you know if we have anything to say.”
