Congressional Hearings on UnitedHealth’s Domination in Healthcare Industry: Calls to Break up the Company and Address Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

During the congressional hearings about the Change Healthcare cyberattack on Wednesday, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle used the opportunity to express their grievances against UnitedHealth Group, Change’s parent company. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) declared that it was time to break up UnitedHealth, while Rep. Buddy Carter, a pharmacist and Republican from Georgia, brought out a posterboard depicting UnitedHealth and its many subsidiaries to highlight the company’s dominant presence in the country’s health care sector.

Rep. Carter warned UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty that he would continue to work towards breaking up the company during both the Senate Finance and House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearings. Witty was the sole witness in both hearings.

Both senators and representatives used the hearings as a platform to criticize UnitedHealth Group’s control over the health care industry. The calls to break up the company reflect a growing concern among lawmakers about the consolidation of power in the health care sector and its impact on patients and consumers.

The hearings also shed light on the cybersecurity vulnerabilities of companies like Change Healthcare and highlighted the need for stronger regulations to protect sensitive patient data. Lawmakers are now under pressure to take action to prevent similar cyberattacks in the future and ensure