How an insurance CEO's killer became a symbol of American anger

When news organizations first posted to social media about the murder of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, there was a peculiar trend in the comments, which turned into breeding grounds for bigots, spammers, angry seniors, angrier teens and other malcontents.

Some people began posting testimonials about their experiences with UnitedHealthcare and how badly they felt they had been mistreated. There were stories of losing loved ones because they were denied a claim, families suffering financial strain or ruin and people whose pain and suffering were drawn out not by the affliction or disease they had, but by the insurance company from which they were supposed to be getting service.

Other comments showed a side of America that corporate America and politicians in Washington should be wary of.

Many people seem to think that Brian Thompson deserved to die. On social media, these have been celebrating the death of the victim and proclaiming the alleged killer as a “hero.” Some have dubbed the unnamed suspect "Robin Hoodie," among other aliases.

I do not agree with this sentiment and do not condone what happened to the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. It is significant, however, that Thompson's killing looks to be a premeditated attack linked to his role in pulling in record profits for UnitedHealthcare at the cost of patients' lives and wallets.

Thompson was in New York for an investors' meeting. All signs pointed to another year of profits for the UnitedHealth Group. The health care conglomerate had $371 billion in revenue last year and looked to do even better in 2024.

However, the profits came in part due to suffering by ordinary Americans. UnitedHealthcare was rated the worst in denying claims, turning down 32 percent of all claims, twice the industry average of 16 percent. The major problem is that politicians, corporate officers and investors seem to ignore that this costs people their family members.

The words “deny," "defend" and "depose” were reportedly written on the casings of the bullets the assassin used. Along with a suppressor and a well thought out surveillance and exit plan, this looks to be the work of someone who clearly took the time and effort to target an insurance CEO. The precise story of his motive remains unknown as yet, but people seem to have made up their minds already.

"Deny," "defend" and "depose" have been words used to criticize health insurance companies for years for their continued bad behavior toward customers. By denying claims, stalling and litigating, insurers avoid paying for the medical assistance to which customers are entitled. And again, UnitedHealthcare was among the worst of these.

That wasn’t the only issue. Brian Thompson, along with several others, was accused of insider trading in a lawsuit brought against UnitedHealthcare. Clearly in the race to appease the shareholders, UnitedHealthcare made a lot of enemies.

Americans will tell you they are in a tough spot financially right now, even though the stock market is high, unemployment is down and the GDP is growing. It should be a red flag to politicians that people from so many walks of life seem sympathetic to a killer and not to the victim.

The killer will be brought to justice. In the meantime, Washington needs to take the temperature of the American public. This sort of revelry over a murder is not acceptable, but it shows that Americans are fed up with a corporate insurance system that is bleeding them dry.

Many Americans would have spent this holiday season blaming UnitedHealthcare for lost loved ones and financial hardship. Now, because of how badly insurance companies act, some are feeling a sort of poetic justice, as horrible as that is.

Jos Joseph is a master’s candidate at the Harvard Extension School at Harvard University. He is a Marine veteran who served in Iraq and lives in Anaheim, Calif.