The U.S. Department of Justice accused three of the nation's largest health insurers of paying hundreds of millions of dollars in kickbacks to brokers in exchange for steering patients into the insurers' Medicare Advantage plans.

The US Department of Justice sued top health insurance companies and brokers alleging they used illegal kickbacks to steer members into private Medicare Advantage plans.

The Justice Department accused large insurers of colluding with national brokers to steer older people and those with disabilities toward coverage that might not offer the best medical care.