Social media users had much to say after news broke that UnitedHealthcare's CEO Brian Thompson was assassinated in New York City on Wednesday morning, and most of it was critical of the late executive and the healthcare giant.
Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group and the nation's largest health insurance provider, brought in $281 billion in revenue last year. Johnson was one of the highest-paid executives with a $10.2 million salary, bonus and stock options, according to Reuters.
Johnson was expected to speak at an investor meeting on Wednesday in which he was to announce that the company was projected to make about $455 billion in 2025.
One reason the company may have become so profitable, as one X user pointed out, is by denying the most claims out of any health insurance provider.
"Today we remember the legacy of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson," Ken Klippenstein, a journalist at The Intercept, tweeted with an accompanying infographic of claim denial rates by insurance company.
Today we remember the legacy of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson pic.twitter.com/iyAJwUBe0w
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) December 4, 2024
Johnson took over as CEO in 2021, the same year UnitedHealthcare implemented NaviHealth, an AI tool that continues to help the company make coverage decisions.
In 2023, a class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of deceased patients. It alleged that the tool allowed UnitedHealthcare to "systematically deny claims" of Medicare beneficiaries requiring life-saving care.
The program had a 90% error rate, which was calculated based on the percentage of payment denials reversed through internal appeals processes or administrative law judge rulings.
The lawsuit alleged UnitedHealth knew about the astronomical error rate but continued using it knowing just 0.2% of patients would file appeals to overturn the decision, STAT News reported.
X users voiced their dismay over UnitedHealthcare's practices, including NaviHealth, which they claim have killed many insured Americans.
"Just a reminder that Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth who got rich off denying healthcare to human beings with a [sic] families absolutely deserved worse than what he got," X user @NotDelMario wrote.
Just a reminder that Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth who got rich off denying healthcare to human beings with a families absolutely deserved worse than what he got. Rest in Piss
— Del Mar 🏴🚩 (@NotDelMario) December 4, 2024
"Fun fact: roughly three million Americans have medical debt greater than the $10,000 reward offered for information on the UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter!," another X user shared.
Fun fact: roughly three million Americans have medical debt greater than the $10,000 reward offered for information on the UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter!
— RednBlackSalamander (@9mmballpoint) December 4, 2024
"I will not shed one tear for the CEO of a greedy insurance company. Instead I weep for every person who has died due to lack of healthcare and for the 100 million Americans saddled with medical debt," X user @ProudSocialist posted.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot in New York City today. I will not shed one tear for the CEO of a greedy insurance company. Instead I weep for every person who has died due to lack of healthcare and for the 100 million Americans saddled with medical debt. pic.twitter.com/1HPMjoeoU6
— Power to the People ☭🕊 (@ProudSocialist) December 4, 2024
Other social media users, like X user @tobitax, pointed out that other CEOs and "industry leaders might want to read the comments and think hard about them."
Saw mainstream news coverage about the killing of the CEO of United Healthcare on TikTok and I think political and industry leaders might want to read the comments and think hard about them pic.twitter.com/RuBii9KFH4
— Tobita Chow (@tobitac) December 4, 2024
His tweet accompanied images of TikTok comments mirroring insurance companies' verbiage when denying health insurance claims.
"I'm sorry, prior authorization is required for thoughts and prayers," one user wrote.
"Sending prior authorization, denied claims, collections & prayers to his family," another quipped.
"So many jokes and gallows humor around the murder of Brian Thompson! The greed of CEOs and health care profiteers has worked its way into our collective consciousness. Something wealthy people should pay attention to, but wont," X user @julia_doughty warned.
So many jokes and gallows humor around the murder of Brian Thompson! The greed of CEOs and health care profiteers has worked its way into our collective consciousness.
— 𝕁𝕦𝕝𝕚𝕒 𝔻𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕪 ⭐️✨💫 (@julia_doughty) December 4, 2024
Something wealthy people should pay attention to, but wont.
"was wondering how UnitedHealthcare gets away with being such a sh---y company and this probably has something to do with," Klippenstein stated in a follow-up tweet with an image of the insurance company's more than $100 million spent on lobbying since 1998.
was wondering how UnitedHealthcare gets away with being such a shitty company and this probably has something to do with it pic.twitter.com/RFatM0rKW6
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) December 4, 2024
Other X users also pointed out Democrats' hypocrisy in mourning Johnson's death while remaining quiet about the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
"It is no mystery who democrats actually work for, and it isn't you," X user @SxarletRed wrote. She also included screenshots of X posts from Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) denouncing Johnson's murder.
It is no mystery who democrats actually work for, and it isn’t you. pic.twitter.com/Galr84TGB9
— barbarism critic 🙂↔️🇵🇸✨ (@SxarletRed) December 4, 2024
"Democrats have shown infinitely more empathy for Brian Thompson than they ever have for any Palestinians," X user @marionumber 4 added.
Democrats have shown infinitely more empathy for Brian Thompson than they ever have for any Palestinians https://t.co/GrieP7Y7Nf pic.twitter.com/PvDnMxGaJn
— 679 Enthusiast (@marionumber4) December 4, 2024
"If you need to renew your hope for humanity, read the TikTok comments responding to the news of the UnitedHealthcare CEO's assassination," another X user posted with screenshots of several TikTok comments.
If you need to renew your hope for humanity, read the TikTok comments responding to the news of the UnitedHealthcare CEO’s assassination pic.twitter.com/iZwEof6e1X
— Victims of Capitalism Memorial Foundation (@karaokecomputer) December 4, 2024
"Will his family still be billed?" one user joked.
"Did the ER wait to render care until they confirmed coverage?" another added.
Originally published by Latin Times
