01:49 PM EDT, 05/02/2025 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates with responses from CVS Health ( CVS ), Humana and Elevance Health ( ELV ) in the third, fourth and fifth paragraphs.)

The US Department of Justice on Thursday filed a complaint in federal court alleging that three of the country's largest health insurance companies offering Medicare Advantage plans paid "hundreds of millions of dollars in kickbacks" to insurance brokers from 2016 through at least 2021 to steer beneficiaries toward their plans.

The DOJ named CVS Health's ( CVS ) Aetna, Elevance Health ( ELV ) and Humana (HUM) in the case, as well as brokers eHealth (EHTH), GoHealth ( GOCO ) and SelectQuote.

"Aetna designed and executed its marketing programs and compensation to brokers to comply with [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] rules, and we continue to believe that we did so," a CVS spokesperson told MT Newswires via email. "We dispute the allegations and intend to defend ourselves vigorously."

A Humana spokesperson told MT Newswires that the company "strongly disagrees with the allegations in the complaint and we look forward to vigorously defending ourselves in the legal proceedings."

"We are confident that our health plans have complied with and continue to comply with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, marketing and broker compensation regulations, rules and guidelines. We intend to vigorously fight the allegations in the complaint," an Elevance spokesperson told MT Newswires via email.

GoHealth ( GOCO ) and eHealth did not immediately reply to requests for comment from MT Newswires.

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