“Judge orders UnitedHealth to hand over documents in AI coverage denial case”, 11 March 2026

A federal magistrate judge in Minnesota has ordered UnitedHealth Group to produce a wide range of documents in an ongoing lawsuit accusing the insurer of using an AI algorithm to wrongfully deny Medicare Advantage members post-acute care.

The March 9 order largely sided with the plaintiffs in their motion to compel discovery…

The case, originally filed in 2023 by the families of two deceased MA members, centers on UnitedHealthcare’s use of nH Predict, a tool developed by Optum subsidiary naviHealth…

“Claims that naviHealth is used to make adverse benefit or coverage decisions are false,” an Optum spokesperson told Becker’s. “Medical necessity determinations are made by qualified physicians following CMS guidance — not AI.” 

The company said nH Predict is a care-support tool that factors in a patient’s cognition, mobility, and ability to perform daily activities, and is shared with providers and caregivers to help guide recovery planning. Optum also noted that naviHealth is not generative AI…

The court denied some requests, including demands for nH Predict’s source code and underlying medical guidelines…