The death of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, shocked the United States and also revealed the anger of many citizens towards private health insurers.
This Monday, police arrested a 26-year-old man linked to the murder of Brian Thompson, CEO of the insurer UnitedHealthcare in New York.
The detainee, Luigi Mangione, carried a three-page manifesto containing complaints about the US health system.
The term “prior authorization” allows insurers to review treatments suggested by doctors before agreeing to pay for them, which led to more than 100 people protesting in July outside UnitedHealth headquarters in Minnesota against its policies and rejection. of claims.
During the protest, eleven people were arrested for blocking the street and for sharing personal experiences about claims denials and other health system problems.
Many Americans’ frustration with the healthcare system became evident after Thompson’s murder.
Police continue to search for the murder suspect, whose motive is unknown, but authorities revealed that they found words written on bullet casings at the scene of the shooting.
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“Deny,” “defend,” and “depose” were written on the casings and investigators believe they could refer to tactics insurance companies are said to use to evade payments for treatment and increase their revenue.
Threats against Thompson
Thompson’s wife mentioned that he had received threats in the past.
A security expert, Philip Klein, expressed surprise at Thompson’s lack of security in New York and highlighted growing anger in the United States over threats against company executives.
After the death of the CEO, several politicians and officials expressed their shock, while on the Internet, many reacted with negative comments about insurers.
Sara Collins, from the Commonwealth Fund, highlighted how complicated and expensive the health system is in the United States with high costs frequently borne by patients.
Recent research shows that many Americans face difficulties with healthcare costs, including in government programs such as Medicaid and Medicare.
UnitedHealthcare faces lawsuits and investigations over its practices, and last year settled a lawsuit involving the denial of medication to a college student with a chronic illness.
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