Rep. Ryan Advocates for Federal Investigation into Care Quality After Local Physician Group Acquisitions
In recent years, UnitedHealth Group, the largest healthcare provider globally, has aggressively expanded its operations in upstate New York by acquiring significant medical practices.
Through its subsidiary Optum, the healthcare leader acquired CareMount Medical located in Westchester in 2022 and expanded to include Crystal Run Healthcare based in Middletown in 2023. These two medical groups boast around 2,500 providers catering to nearly 1.7 million patients.
Ryan stated that these acquisitions have adversely affected his constituents in Orange, Ulster, and Dutchess counties. As of April 3, over 1,800 individuals had participated in a community survey distributed by the congressman’s office regarding Optum-owned facilities. Among patient respondents, close to half expressed challenges in securing appointments, one-third reported significant customer service issues, and one-quarter complained of inaccurate or duplicate billing.
“I’ve initiated contact with Optum to assist individuals in the interim, but this is merely a temporary solution.”
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He mentioned that he has forwarded all firsthand accounts to the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Federal Trade Commission for further scrutiny.
“We recognize the challenges some of our patients encounter and are diligently working toward necessary improvements,” Dr. Jonathan Nasser, president and regional chief medical officer at Optum Medical Care, stated in a message to The Epoch Times.
“We remain committed to enhancing healthcare in the Hudson Valley and appreciate the opportunity to serve this community. We look forward to ongoing collaboration with Representative Ryan and policymakers at all government levels to achieve our shared objectives.”
