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The killing of a top UnitedHealth Group executive on Wednesday sparked a wave of sympathy, but also jubilation, highlighting the frustration among Americans who see a broken health care system. .
A study by Rutgers University in New Jersey found that the most popular posts on social media site It was either slanderous or slanderous.” Many users of other social media apps, such as TikTok, also posted similar messages.
As the investigation enters its third day, a barrage of criticism has been leveled at UnitedHealth and Thompson, the health care and insurance companies that serve tens of millions of Americans. This highlights how they are tackling the controversy surrounding the issue. The spread of medical debt.
“Today, we mourn the death of…Brian Thompson, shot…Wait, I’m sorry — every year insurance executives like Brian Thompson needlessly die in order to become millionaires. Today, we commemorate the deaths of 68,000 Americans who have lost their lives,” Anthony Zenkas, a lecturer at Columbia University in New York, said in a post on X. Viewed millions of times.
Zenkus’ post referenced a 2020 study published in The Lancet that found that Americans with a higher It is estimated that a universal health insurance system would save 68,000 lives a year. “I never want to celebrate someone’s death,” Zenks told the Financial Times.
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In a sign of further criticism of UnitedHealth, a statement about Thompson’s murder posted on the Minnesota-based organization’s Facebook page drew 53,000 laughing emojis.
While the social media posts are deeply fringe, they highlight widespread anxiety in the country about the health care system. A Gallup poll this summer found that less than one-third of Americans view the healthcare industry favorably, and nearly one-quarter give it a “very negative” rating. It turned out.
Social media users also mourned Thompson’s death, with Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar calling the incident a “horrible and shocking act of violence” in a post on X.
Another post, which has been read thousands of times, said: “It’s a tragedy that a life was lost in such a violent way. The healthcare system is definitely flawed, but it doesn’t make his death insensitive. There is no justification for rejoicing.”
The shooting of Thompson, 50, outside a major midtown Manhattan hotel in what authorities called a “premeditated, targeted attack” has sent shockwaves through the medical community. The words “denial,” “defense,” and “disposal” were engraved on the shell casings found at the scene, a possible reference to an insurance company’s book on denying claims.
One former Cigna executive recalled that the U.S. health insurance company faced frequent threats of denied claims. “Parents sometimes panicked when they refused proton laser therapy for children who had seizures,” said a former executive.
“What’s most alarming is the ability for people to hide behind their keyboards and lose their humanity,” said another industry executive.
Matt Iles, a health care industry veteran who previously ran America’s Health Insurance Plans, an industry group of which UnitedHealth is not a member, said most health plan executives are deeply aware of the challenges facing patients. He said he is doing so.
“Everyone has a friend or family member who has experienced severe health problems,” he said. “It can be frustrating to navigate the health care system and deal with health insurance at times.” said.
According to Experian, in a 2024 survey of 200 U.S. healthcare providers, approximately 77% of respondents said claim denials were on the rise, nearly double the 42% in 2022. It became. The survey found that the time it takes for insurance claims to be reimbursed has increased, with 67% of respondents saying they expect payment times to take longer in 2024 compared to 51% in 2022.
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Mr. Thompson’s UnitedHealth division, UnitedHealthcare, is the largest health insurance company in the United States, covering 26.6 million patients as part of employer and individual plans. Thompson’s 2023 compensation package was $10.2 million, including a base salary of $1 million and bonuses.
Ailes called people using Thompson’s death as an opportunity to criticize the U.S. health care system “disgusting.”
“I don’t think most people go into health-related fields unless they actually want to make a difference, even when the best motivation behind their actions is to make the system better,” he said. It doesn’t always work perfectly.”
