People Are Sharing Heartbreaking Stories Of Being Denied Coverage In Response To The UnitedHealthcare CEO Killing, And It's Really, Really Dark

On December 4, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot twice by a masked assailant in a "targeted attack" in NYC and later died from his injuries at a nearby hospital.

"I want to be clear, at this time, every indication is that this was a premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack," NYC Police Commissioner Jessia Tisch told reporters.

Reportedly, the gunman wrote the words "deny," "defend," and "dispose" on the bullet shells that were found at the scene, a phrase similar to a book written by Jay M. Feinman titled "Delay Deny Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It."

While the assailant's exact motive is still unknown, it's been reported that Thompson was one of three UnitedHealth Group executives facing a lawsuit for insider trading. In addition, in 2023, UnitedHealthcare was also sued for allegedly knowingly using a "faulty AI algorithm" to deny elderly patients coverage for extended care.

The killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO has garnered a range of reactions, showing how Americans feel about the US healthcare system overall.

"The CEO of UHC was executed. And the reaction from the American people are, they are pissed that they either have NO health insurance, denied healthcare, or pay too damned much for their health care plans. Can you blame us? We are fed the fuck up," one user wrote in response to the news.

Twitter: @JMeanypants

Thousands of sarcastic quips were left in comment sections of news clips about the killing.

Others posted personal stories saying they were denied care by UnitedHealthcare, like this user who said their child was denied a hospital stay following heart surgery:

Twitter: @NatalieElsberg

Or this person who said they were told that UnitedHealthcare would no longer pay for their chemotreatment:

Twitter: @kendallybrown

Or this person who got their gallbladder removed but had to pay $6,000 out of pocket because they said their insurance deemed the surgery "elective."

Or this person who said they worked in MRI and CT imaging and claimed they would routinely tell patients their scans for cancer were not covered:

Or this person who said their uncle died because UnitedHealthcare denied his hernia surgery:

Or this person who said they had to fight UnitedHealthcare to get their ex-husband access to an out patient mental health program:

Or this person who said they were billed $26,000 by UHC for an emergency room CT scan:

Politicians and leaders have since spoken up against the harsh rhetoric online. Senator Amy Klobuchar is one of many politicians who quickly condemned the killing of Thompson, calling it "horrifying and shocking."

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