The assassination of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who earned over $10 million annually and oversaw coverage for almost 50 million Americans, has sparked a complex and heated public response, with growing sympathy for the unknown gunman who carried out the act.
UnitedHealthcare is the biggest private health insurer in the U.S., and its parent company reported $371.6 billion in revenue last year, and Thompson’s compensation was approaching $20 million in early 2024 based on bonus earnings derived from company performance and stock market value.
While law enforcement continues to investigate the case, the public discourse has shifted toward broader frustrations with the health insurance industry, which many view as emblematic of greed and indifference to human well-being. It has become a well-known fact that corporations like UnitedHealthcare employ various tactics to shift losses to their insureds or to their victims in order to minimize their own costs.
“I’m not rejoicing about the UHC CEO being shot dead in the street, I’m not sad about it, either,” said Yolonda Wilson, a professor of Health Care Ethics at Saint Louis University in Missouri whose surgery was temporarily denied coverage by UnitedHealthcare, for about two days before it was scheduled. “People deserve better than the US health insurance industry, and chickens come home to roost.”
The murder of the UnitedHealthcare CEO struck a nerve, triggering an outpouring of experiences with the U.S. health care system in which many people shared searing stories of denials from insurers.
Within hours of the killing, nurses and patients posted videos online sharing horror stories when they had to deal with health insurers.
One said: “Thoughts and deductibles to the family. Unfortunately my condolences are out-of-network.”
One social medie post said his mother’s stage IV lung cancer scan was denied, another came from a father who shared the insurance company’s letter denying a wheelchair for his son with cerebral palsy.
The U.S. health insurance sector has faced criticism for years, with detractors highlighting its prioritization of profits over patients. In 2022, the largest health insurers in the United States collectively earned over $41 billion in profits, a figure many argue underscores the disparity between corporate gains and patient outcomes.
This trend is exacerbated by the increasing concentration of health care markets, with 57% of insurer markets deemed too concentrated to foster meaningful competition. Such monopolistic conditions often lead to higher prices for consumers and reduced choice in coverage options.
Law enforcement officials found shell casings at the crime scene that had the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” in what could be a reference to a book by Distinguished Rutgers Law Professor Jay Feinman about the tactics used by insurers to avoid paying out claims to patients.
The involvement of private equity (PE) in the health care sector has further fueled discontent. PE firms have acquired physician offices, hospitals, and other health care assets, often introducing cost-cutting measures that critics associate with higher prices and diminished care quality.
Studies have linked this trend to increased patient mortality rates, raising alarms about the ethical implications of financialization in health care.
Bureaucracy and inefficiency within the industry add to patient frustrations. The complex layers of intermediaries make processing claims burdensome, leading to financial strain for patients and delays in care for providers.
Meanwhile, the corporate-driven nature of the U.S. health system increasingly forces individuals to choose between seeking necessary medical treatment and incurring significant debt.
Observers argue that the assassination reflects not just a personal vendetta but a broader societal despair over the perceived failures of the health care system. Many Americans view the consolidation of power within health insurers and hospital systems as a root cause of the nation’s escalating health care crisis. This centralization, they argue, perpetuates inequities, particularly in lower-income communities, where hospital closures and reduced access to care disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.
The unknown gunman, while condemned for resorting to violence, has inadvertently become a symbol of these grievances for some.
Social media platforms have seen an uptick in posts expressing sympathy for the act as a reaction to systemic failures, though others caution against glorifying or rationalizing violence as a solution to systemic problems.
In the aftermath of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s assassination, social media has become a hotbed of outrage, frustration, and reflection on the deep flaws in the American health care system. While the act of violence has shocked many, the online discourse reveals widespread anger at the health insurance industry’s perceived exploitation of vulnerable populations and the immense profits it generates.
The assassination has exposed a stark divide in public sentiment. On platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit, users are simultaneously condemning the violence while expressing sympathy for the anger that may have motivated it. Hashtags like #HealthCareGreed, #InsuranceCorruption, and #PatientsOverProfits have trended, with users sharing personal stories of hardship, delayed care, and financial ruin caused by health insurers.
Inflammatory Posts Highlighting Public Anger
- Twitter Post:
“Brian Thompson’s death is shocking, but what’s even more shocking? United Healthcare made billions while people DIE waiting for care or go bankrupt from a single ER visit. #PatientsOverProfits” - Reddit Comment:
“My dad died because his ‘gold plan’ denied coverage for life-saving treatment. How many lives have these CEOs ruined for their yachts and stock options? No tears for Thompson here.” - Facebook Post:
“United Healthcare denied my child’s cancer treatment, but they can afford to make $41 billion in profits. Brian Thompson’s death is brutal, but so is forcing families to choose between death or debt. These companies are killing us slowly.” - TikTok Video:
A viral TikTok video features a user flipping through medical bills while voicing frustration: “Health insurance execs like Brian Thompson don’t care about our health—they only care about their wallets. He made billions while we lost loved ones. Where’s the justice for the people they’ve destroyed?” - Instagram Story:
A widely shared meme shows a crying Statue of Liberty with text reading:
“America: Where corporate greed kills more than bullets ever could. RIP to all denied care.”
A Symptom of Broader Outrage
The surge in inflammatory posts reflects a deep well of public frustration that predates Thompson’s assassination.
The juxtaposition of the industry’s record $41 billion in profits with its perceived failures to provide adequate care has fueled resentment. Stories of claim denials, exorbitant premiums, and medical bankruptcies have flooded social media, underscoring the human toll of a system many see as prioritizing shareholders over patients.
Beyond the anger, a growing number of posts are channeling outrage into calls for systemic reform. Activists are using the moment to push for policies such as Medicare for All, stricter regulation of the health insurance industry, and more transparency in pricing. Some are urging lawmakers to hold the industry accountable, citing its role in perpetuating inequality and poor health outcomes.
While the violent nature of Thompson’s death has drawn condemnation, the broader online conversation reveals a public grappling with despair over a health care system that many feel has failed them. The assassination may have been an individual act, but the public reaction underscores collective discontent with an industry seen as emblematic of corporate greed and societal inequities.
The incident has also reignited calls for reform in the health care industry. Advocates are urging greater regulation to curb monopolistic practices, increased transparency in pricing and claims processing, and a shift toward a patient-centered approach that prioritizes outcomes over profits. Policymakers face mounting pressure to address these issues as public dissatisfaction continues to grow.
While the motives of the gunman remain unclear, the broader context of the act reflects a societal tipping point.
The health care system’s prioritization of financial interests over public health has alienated many Americans, and the fallout from this high-profile assassination may further catalyze calls for transformative change.
Whether that raises Thompson’s killer to the status of folk hero could be measure of widespread support for a modern Robin Hood, but President-elect Donald Trump—after securing the White House with — and several other ultra-wealthy business leaders
The elevation of Thompson’s killer to folk hero status may reflect a broad desire for a contemporary American version of Robin Hood.
Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump, having won the White House with populist promises to working class voters, has selected at least half a dozen billionaires and numerous other immensely wealthy business figures to serve in the incoming adminstration.
Trump’s 2025 Cabinet is expected to be even richer than the first Trump Cabinet, which had a combined net worth of $6.2 billion.
Linda McMahon, Howard Lutnick, Scott Bessent, Doug Burgum, Elon Musk, and David Sacks present conflict of interest risks, seem inclined to look out for their own interests, and may be expected to betray working middle class Americans’ hopes of bringing back manufacturing jobs and limiting inflation.
“It is hard to see how a Cabinet made up largely of the very, very wealthiest of Americans is going to have an understanding of what the needs of regular Americans are,” said Noah Bookbinder, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
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