It has emerged that several U.S. politicians offloaded UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH) stock just weeks before the historic January 27 crash.
Notably, UnitedHealth entered 2026 as one of the most aggressively repriced blue-chip stocks in the U.S. market.
On Tuesday, the company lost roughly one-fifth of its market value in a single session, erasing tens of billions of dollars in market capitalization and dragging the Dow Jones Industrial Average sharply lower.
The sell-off followed weaker-than-expected 2026 revenue guidance, rising cost pressures, and mounting concerns over Medicare Advantage reimbursement rates.
At the close of the Tuesday session, UNH shares were down about 19%, trading at $282.70. This drop has extended UnitedHealth’s losses over the past year to almost 50%.
UNH stock Congress tardes
A review of the Congress trade records shows the most notable transaction came from Rep. Kevin Hern, who sold UnitedHealth shares valued between $250,001 and $500,000 on December 23, 2025.
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The sale was disclosed on January 22, 2026, just days before the stock plunged nearly 20%. The trade was marked as “sell to close,” indicating a clear exit from the position while shares were still trading well above post-crash levels.
Rep. Julie Johnson also sold UnitedHealth stock twice in quick succession, first on November 13, 2025, and again on December 18, 2025, with each sale ranging from $1,001 to $15,000. Though smaller in size, both transactions occurred while UnitedHealth was still widely viewed as a defensive healthcare play, well before its revenue outlook sharply deteriorated.
On the other hand, Rep. Gilbert Cisneros sold UNH shares on November 12, 2025, in the $1,001 to $15,000 range, and later disclosed a purchase on December 19, 2025, valued between $15,001 and $50,000. That purchase came shortly before the company’s outlook worsened publicly and the stock entered a steep decline, underscoring how quickly sentiment shifted in early 2026.
UnitedHealth revenue guidance
The timing of these sales is more striking given UnitedHealth’s subsequent collapse, after the company warned that 2026 revenue would be about $439 billion, well below Wall Street estimates of $454 to $456 billion.
The sell-off was compounded by rising medical costs, weaker earnings, and proposed Medicare Advantage payment increases of just 0.09% for 2027, far short of expectations. From its peak above $600, the stock had already lost nearly half its value.
Notably, there is no public evidence that the lawmakers had access to nonpublic information, and disclosure filings do not establish intent.
Still, the cluster of sales in November and December 2025, shortly before one of the worst sell-offs in UnitedHealth’s history, raises questions.
Featured image via Shutterstock
