The deepening issues at the UnitedHealth Group are affecting the company's executives, investors, and thousands of people rely on it for health insurance and health care services.

Now, they also hurt one of the top meters in the U.S. stock market as UnitedHealth's plunge stock lowered the Dow.

UnitedHealth is one of the 30 companies that make up the Dow Jones industrial average, which aims to represent some of the most important companies in the U.S. economy. Therefore, the Dow Jones Index is seen as a look at the overall health of the economy and the market.

UnitedHealth was the most expensive stock in DOW a month ago, but now its stock is losing more than 50% of its value.

During the same period, the Dow Jones Index rose almost 5%. This seems good news, especially as the U.S. market recovers from widespread sell-offs and volatility caused by President Trump’s purge and chaotic new tariffs.

But the Dow Jones index rally was muted compared to other major U.S. indexes. The benchmark S&P 500 tracks more of the largest U.S. companies, up nearly 10% from a month ago. The surge in Nasdaq High Technology has soared even more, accounting for nearly 14%.

UnitedHealth's terrible year is a lot worse

UnitedHealth is one of the largest companies in the world and controls vast snippets of how Americans can access health care. It employs thousands of doctors; handles payments and claims from hospitals and pharmacies; and owns UnitedHealthcare, the largest health insurance company in the United States.

But for more than a year, the company has faced growing business and reputational issues, including widespread anger over the high costs of denial of claims and the high costs of health care in the United States. That anger gained public popularity in December after Brian Thompson, the top director of UN Health, was shot dead on Manhattan Street in December.

UnitedHealth's business problems worsened sharply this week: its stock plummeted after it suddenly replaced CEO Andrew Witty and suspended its 2025 financial guidance.

Then Wall Street Journal The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the company's "possibly possible criminal health insurance fraud," it reported Wednesday night.

The company said in a statement that the statement had not been “notified” by the Department of Justice. It is also called WSJReported "very irresponsible" and said "by the integrity of the Medicare business."

But investors are still scared. UnitedHealth shares fell another 11% on Thursday.

"Bad news is rapidly with passion," Creditsights analysts wrote in a research note on Thursday.

They added that UnitedHealth could face "billion-dollar regional fines" in a potential DOJ investigation.

However, Tao Dao seems to have a silver lining. UnitedHealth's continued selling means its stock now plays a much smaller role in the overall index than it was a month ago.

Despite their decline on Thursday, the Dow Jones Index rose on the day and closed less than 1%.