The case began with a whistleblower who said UnitedHealth bilked billions of dollars through the Medicare Advantage program.

UnitedHealth Group Inc. won a major finding in a long-running lawsuit in which the US Department of Justice claimed the company overbilled Medicare by at least $2.1 billion.

The Justice Department lacks evidence to support claims the company withheld Medicare Advantage funds, a legal expert overseeing the case said.

UnitedHealth Group notched a major court win in a legal challenge over its Medicare Advantage billing practices that is stretching into its second decade. | UnitedHealth Group notched a major court win in a legal challenge over its Medicare Advantage billing practices that is stretching into its second decade.

A court-appointed special master has found that U.S. authorities do not have evidence to support their billion-dollar fraud case accusing UnitedHealth Group of keeping overpayments from the government for patients on its Medicare insurance plans.

Hi, it’s John in New York. I’ve spent years following a story about how whistleblowers alleged systematic fraud at private Medicare Advantage plans. A reported investigation at one of the biggest companies in that business jolted investors last week.

The Justice Department is probing diagnoses and practices that triggered extra payments to UnitedHealth’s Medicare Advantage plans, people familiar with the matter say.

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.