12 Best Stocks to Buy in 2026 for Beginners

9. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Analyst Upside: 20.96%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 140

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is one of the best stocks to buy in 2026 for beginners. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) announced on January 14 the launch of its Rural Payment Acceleration Pilot, which is an initiative specialized to support independent rural hospitals facing financial challenges.

The pilot aims to expedite Medicare Advantage payment timelines by 50%, from less than 30 days to less than 15 days on average, over the next six months. It would also deliver immediate cash-flow relief and support the sustainability of these significant rural hospitals. The independent rural hospitals were selected by UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) through criteria focused on maximizing impact and guiding future rural-focused solutions.

In another development, Reuters reported on January 12 that according to a U.S. Senate committee report released the same day, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) used “aggressive” risk-adjustment coding tactics to raise the U.S. government reimbursement for patients who were enrolled in its Medicare Advantage healthcare plans.

The report in question was from Senator Chuck Grassley, chair of the Senate’s judiciary committee, and stated that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) submitted more diagnosis codes and diagnoses compared to any other Medicare Advantage organization, which resulted in inflated government payments related to the poor health of its patients in comparison to any of its peers. It added that:

“After a review of the records, this report provides evidence ⁠that shows UnitedHealth Group has turned risk adjustment into a major profit ‍centered strategy, which was not the original intent of the program.”

Reuters further reported that the report was based on more than 50,000 pages of the company’s documents, which included internal training materials, policies, and software documents. However, a UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) spokesperson disagreed with the report’s stipulations in an emailed statement, saying:

“Our ⁠programs comply with ⁠applicable (government regulatory) requirements and ​have, through government audits, demonstrated sustained adherence to regulatory standards.”

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) provides healthcare coverage, data consultancy, and software services. It operates through the OptumRx, OptumInsight, OptumHealth, and UnitedHealthCare segments.