The murder of UnitedHealthcare's CEO in New York on Wednesday has ignited a firestorm of fury online about the health insurance industry.
Brian Thompson was shot and killed Wednesday morning, but many social media users have exhibited a morbid indifference or even cheerfulness in reacting to his death.
"Of course I would have been happy to send my condolences after the United Healthcare CEO was killed," one person posted in a video on TikTok. "Unfortunately, sympathy requires a prior authorization, and I have to deny that request."
One person commented on previous Scripps News reporting saying, "Private health insurance is evil so... this doesn't concern me 1 bit."
RELATED STORY | 'Depose,' 'Deny,' 'Defend' reportedly written on shell casings in slaying of UnitedHealthcare CEO
Many other online users posted about their challenging experiences with UnitedHealthcare, including stories of being denied coverage by the provider.
The words "deny," "defend" and "depose" were written on ammunition the shooter used, according to law enforcement. Those words caused some on social media to draw a connection to a 2010 book with a similar title, "Delay, Deny, Defend," about insurance companies failing to pay claims.
Denial of health insurance claims have been increasing across the board, according to a U.S. Senate Investigative report found by Scripps News.
It found UnitedHealthcare's denial rate for post-acute care climbed from almost 11% in 2020 to nearly 23% in 2022, and Humana's denial rate for long-term post-acute care grew by 54% during that same time span.
A new survey from The Commonwealth Fund found nearly one in four older U.S. adults spent at least $2,000 out of pocket on health care last year.
The online response to Thompson's murder isn't a surprise to Stephan Meier, the chair of the management division at Columbia Business School, given the industry in which the CEO worked.
"It's not so surprising if you look at, you know, surveys about what industries are liked or not, are trusted or not, and health insurers are not at the top of that list, to put it mildly," Meier said.
There are signs the industry is taking notice of the backlash. CVS Health has taken down photos of its executives posted to its website, as security concerns grow for industry leaders.
