Over 29 million Americans rely on insurance company United Healthcare for their medical needs, ranging from simple anesthesia to complex procedures. Unfortunately, United Healthcare is most known for being the medical insurance company with the highest denial rate for coverage on claims. So, when the Chief Executive Officer of United Healthcare, Brian Thompson, was unexpectedly and fatally shot on Dec. 4 by a masked individual, the public went into a frenzy.
On social media specifically, influencers and first time users alike showcased their support for the individual who had killed Thompson. Although the grievances of the American people regarding insurance and healthcare systems are entirely valid and must be addressed, the backing of someone’s murder was disturbing.
“The day after the incident with [Thompson], TikTok and Instagram were filled with videos discussing whether or not the action taken were justified. I did not expect for so many people to openly support the killing of that man, but people’s opinions were very consistent. It was actually pretty disturbing to see so many people justify it, even if it was for a certain reason,” junior Elyse Harris said.
Many users online justified the actions of the criminal, who is now suspected to be Luigi Mangione, by stating a shocking truth: the company that Thompson overlooked was responsible for the ruining of many Americans’ lives. Whether it be through the complete denial of services and treatments or inadequate financial compensation, United Healthcare consistently put Americans’ lives in danger all while burning holes in their pockets. So, some argued that one life was a fair trade for the thousands upon thousands of lives ruined by a faulty healthcare system.
“I strongly disagree with causing harm to people, especially when they are not involved in what people are frustrated with. However, [Thompson] led a company that was known for their sort of disregard for treatments and coverage. He had to have known that, so it is off-putting to think that he simply did not care enough to make any change within the organization he led,” junior Beatrice Stampino-Strain said.
It is very interesting to see the American public fairly united on such an issue. In a political landscape where extreme polarization is an everyday occurrence, it seemed that both sides of the political spectrum were more often than not agreeing on insurance and healthcare coverage as a large issue. Obviously, seeing both sides of the aisle constantly voice their unanimous concerns warrants a shift in focus by insurance companies. Unfortunately, these faults in the system have been an issue way before Dec. 4, and your everyday American is fed up.
All of this is not to say that Mangione’s actions were justified. The killing of another individual will always be a horrific act, regardless of the grievances against them. These violent actions have made the path toward progress that much harder, undermining any possibility of meaningful conversation surrounding the issue.
“I am concerned that the death of Thompson will promote taking such serious actions in the future. I agree that action needs to be taken to make these discrepancies between big corporations and the common person, but they can be ones that fuel anger between the two,” junior Kira Acevedo said.
Despite this, some individuals have brought up the idea that there is no such thing as bad marketing, arguing that the extreme events are all in efforts of bringing about some sort of discussion on the issue. The only problem with this is that the public is only focused on the theatrics of the situation, like the suspect, his plan of action and conspiracy theories, rather than the actual issue at hand.
“Sure, the incident with [Mangione] will bring attention to certain issues, but I doubt it will be good attention. If anything, the situation will just make people more and more angry, causing more harmful action to be taken. I think people need to be careful about what actions they take or promote next,” junior Stampino-Strain said.
With this in mind, it is important to shift focus from condemning Mangione or making Thompson’s death an online sensation to an actual conversation. The actions of Dec. 4 were done out of desperation and lost hope, so steps must be taken to stop something similar from happening again. The path is very clear: address the concerns of the American public as the legitimate needs they are.