Health Care CEO murdered in NYC in a targeted attack

We do know they denied claims at twice the industry average. I guess all the other HI companies are just softies approving anything and everything.
Again, unless you have some specifics about the numbers, you're still just blowing smoke. Different customer base, different enrollment standards, different coverages, etc, could/would impact claim denial rates. If you have all the necessary data to drill down into that 34% number, or the same data for the other companies, please share it with us. We'd all love to see it.
 

For the last time, you've said what you've said, and you can't unsay it now. Semantic waffling aside, it is clear where you stand, and that, since "actions have consequences", the CEO was fair game to you.

Moving on... (Post 31)
I can't be the only one whose patience you're trying.
You do appear to be overly invested in this thread and provocative with it. Your post count so far is 27. That's as follows: 21, 24, 26, 28, 29, 312, 44, 46, 67, 105, 106, 108, 111, 114, 118, 126, 128, 131, 134, 135, 136, 139, 140, 141, 145, 151, & 152. Have you heard that when you're in hole the advice is to stop digging.
You have failed to acknowledge that people have suffered and died because their health is secondary other factors such as the filthy luchre (see what I did their? Using emotive language to harp on my point!). I suggest you take a chill pill or try temper your language.


Furthermore, you support and cheer for the brutal murder of a young man for doing his job. Sadly, you are not alone. (118)
I haven't seen any cheering or support here. I have seen you twisting things around, being economical with the truth and using emotive language to emphasise your dubious points.

Karma didn't pull the trigger, the cowardly, shoot 'em in the back punk did that. Good to know he's a hero to some of you. (128)
I haven't seen this hero worship you mention.
I agree, but some of the folks on here think the shooting victim was fair game. It is clear from their posts, since they applaud and cheer for the death of the young man because insurance bad. (131)
More tub thumping.
Unless you have some direct knowledge of their operations, and effort to reduce costs, you're just blowing smoke. (135)
So what has this got to do with a murder/assassination?
I guess I'm the only one on here that thinks it's a bad thing to shoot a man in the back because you don't like his company's business practices. (139)
What do you know about the shooter's motivation that we don't? Do you really think that you're the only one who disapproves?
Great! I'll add your user name to the KKK list for this website.
(Kowardly Keyboard Kommandos) (141)
*Facepalm*
I know what it's like to be the target of a threat from a disgruntled employee, and had 24 hour police protection outside of my home for a few days until he was caught. (145)
Did you gaslight the disgruntled employee and twist their words around until they spat the chewie too?
Again, unless you have some specifics about the numbers, you're still just blowing smoke. (152)
32% is pretty specific...
 

Other information is coming out that there was a bomb threat at his home the day before the shooting, but no bomb was found. This should have given him a warning that his life might be in danger and he should have had his guards along with him.
He was supposed to testify for the DOJ investigation, so the bomb threat might have been to warn him not to do that or at least not to reveal things the company wanted to keep hidden.
This would not be the first time that someone was supposed to testify and ended up dead.
I think the conference location was with in walking distance and my guess he assumed the security there for the event or others would suffice.

The thing is it's easy to find out where these industry events are but not where the executives attending are staying. He would've had to have been followed from the venue or the killer/s given inside information. That points back to the wife or an employee.

I don't think the wife would inherit from an insurance policy since many don't cover murder, terrorism etc. But she probably would've inherited his fortune but that might take longer.
 
According to the New York Times today, the murder is focusing a lot of peoples' attention on insurance industry practices, more than I would have anticipated. The two are somewhat related, but also separate issues that should be dealt with. The situation is ugly.
 
Again, unless you have some specifics about the numbers, you're still just blowing smoke. Different customer base, different enrollment standards, different coverages, etc, could/would impact claim denial rates. If you have all the necessary data to drill down into that 34% number, or the same data for the other companies, please share it with us. We'd all love to see it.
You're quite the defender of large corporations in general and specifically of a health insurance company that by published standards (when it comes to claims denials, particularly for elderly people) is worse than most. And your family's experiences notwithstanding, that's often a pretty low bar.

I don't celebrate his murder, but do celebrate a public spotlight on the righteous frustration that may have precipitated it.
 
According to the New York Times today, the murder is focusing a lot of peoples' attention on insurance industry practices, more than I would have anticipated. The two are somewhat related, but also separate issues that should be dealt with. The situation is ugly.
This was a cold blooded planned murder. The suspect is on the loose. That should be the focus.

The Times and others are using the murder for other purposes. That would be the suspect's lawyer's job at a trial. Yes motive could help point to a suspect but at this point that's all it is a tool to find the suspect.

My fear this killing could be the first done by some kind of radical health care or insurance protest group. The suspect could be the tip of a spear of a really radical group.
 
According to the New York Times today, the murder is focusing a lot of peoples' attention on insurance industry practices, more than I would have anticipated. The two are somewhat related, but also separate issues that should be dealt with. The situation is ugly.
Ugly for consumers maybe, but moreso the pug ugly executives.
 
This was a cold blooded planned murder. The suspect is on the loose. That should be the focus.

The Times and others are using the murder for other purposes. That would be the suspect's lawyer's job at a trial. Yes motive could help point to a suspect but at this point that's all it is a tool to find the suspect.

My fear this killing could be the first done by some kind of radical health care or insurance protest group. The suspect could be the tip of a spear of a really radical group.
I believe the focus is on finding the murderer. I haven't heard that suggestion that this might me the tip of a spear until now. As far as my emotional involvement, I just don't want things to get worse. Fear? Not really fear, but I have had disturbing thoughts of the French Revolution this morning.
 
I believe the focus is on finding the murderer. I haven't heard that suggestion that this might me the tip of a spear until now. As far as my emotional involvement, I just don't want things to get worse. Fear? Not really fear, but I have had disturbing thoughts of the French Revolution this morning.
When I use the word 'fear' a lot of serial killers left messages during or after their killings. Including the Zodiac who and maybe Son of Sam who chose random victims. Some believe Zodiac was a small cult of killers

Suspect also could turn into a spree killer like Andrew Cunanan who wound up killing innocents during his escape/spree starting in Minnesota ending in Florida.

Hopefully the next body they find is the killer's.
 
Does everyone agree the suspect is a paid hit man?

I'm thinking he may even be out of the country by now.
No, not at all. A paid hit man wouldn't have written on his cartridges with a Sharpie, nor stayed in a hostel, nor carried along a cell phone, nor fired from 15 feet or so. This is someone with a personal grudge against UHC, or an anarchist type making a point.
 
Does everyone agree the suspect is a paid hit man?

I'm thinking he may even be out of the country by now.
I don't think there's enough information to support most of the speculations about this case yet. Some may turn out to be true, but I wouldn't place any bets. Personally, I'll guess they find this guy pretty fast, but only because I've been surprised at how fast it can happen, and has in the past (sometimes). If this guy is not nabbed in two days, then my guess won't be worth anymore than it is right now.
 
The assassination of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson has triggered tasteless celebrations and bad taste support for the gunman who killed him.

Mr Thompson was shot outside the Hilton Hotel in Manhattan on Wednesday morning by a masked assassin, who remains on the run and whose motive has not been disclosed.

As news of the cold-blooded killing spread, thousands declared they were happy at news of the horrific killing of the 50 year-old father of two and even cooed over the murderer's apparent good looks.
The moderators of the r/medicine forum had to close a Reddit thread after news of Mr Thompson's death collected more than 500 replies, often critical of UnitedHealthcare. The top comment, from a nurse, was a lengthy parody of a template response denying pay-out for the victim.

'We understand that you were actively “bleeding out,” but this does not exempt you from exploring lower-cost care pathways,' the post said.

UnitedHealthcare, the biggest health insurer by market share in America, was rocked by protests over the alleged systematic denial of pay-outs to patients earlier this year.

Authorities found three live bullets and three spent casings at the scene, which they said had the words 'depose', 'deny' and 'defend' scrawled on them.

This drew comparison to the similarly titled 2010 book 'Delay, Deny, Defend' - a scathing criticism of 'why insurance companies don't pay out and what you can do about it' - and sparked wide speculation online.
Morbid onslaught of hate falls on UnitedHealthcare after assassination
 
I saw on the news that they have a clear picture of his face. He seems to have changed clothes (or at least his jacket). They said that he had ditched the back pack early on. It shouldn't be long before they get him now. A whole lot of tips are coming in. They know that he stayed at a hostel, in a room with two "strangers" before he went out to kill the CEO.

@RadishRose I thought about him possibly being a hit man because he used a silencer. And the news report said he was pretty quick and skillful with fixing the gun when it jammed or malfunctioned (or whatever). And that he took the time to etch his message on the bullets! It's like out of a T.V. show or movie.
 
This was a cold blooded planned murder. The suspect is on the loose. That should be the focus.

The Times and others are using the murder for other purposes. That would be the suspect's lawyer's job at a trial. Yes motive could help point to a suspect but at this point that's all it is a tool to find the suspect.

My fear this killing could be the first done by some kind of radical health care or insurance protest group. The suspect could be the tip of a spear of a really radical group.
Most of us wouldn't consider affordable health insurance "radical."

The system is broken and there's no will to fix it — not by our representatives, anyway. The case could easily be made that our "representatives" don't represent us; they represent big money donors. All that matters any more is money. The lives of ordinary people don't matter — especially not by insurance companies.

Voting doesn't work. Protests don't work. So what options are left?
 
I remember all too well when insurance companies didn't cover routine pap smears. When I'd go to my gyno for an exam he'd ask, "Feeling a little itchy down there?" while vigorously nodding his head. I'd dutifully say, "yes," and he'd say, "Uh oh, guess I NEED to do a pap smear." That was how he (and presumably hundreds/thousands of other US OB/GYNs) manipulated the red tape so insurance would cover the well-exam and test.

Not until the ACA passed in 2010 were US insurance providers forced to cover paps. Freaking shameful.

Most Americans have had it up to their back teeth with insurance companies. When we find fair ones, we stick with them.

Bottom line: It's hard to evoke much sympathy for a man whose career and fortune was built on a lack of empathy. There are likely millions of gallons of blood on his and his cohorts' hands.

As for social media posts hitting on target but in poor taste, gallows humor has long been alive and well. It's almost never "too soon."
 

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