Healthcare contends with aftermath of UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killing: 5 updates

t’s been a little over a month since the tragic murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson rocked the healthcare industry and highlighted people’s frustrations with insurers. In the aftermath, tensions have escalated, with healthcare organizations facing additional threats of violence amid calls for meaningful change.

Mr. Thompson was killed on December 4 outside the New York Hilton Midtown, where UnitedHealth Group was hosting its annual Investor Day conference.

Following the arrest of the now-charged suspect, Luigi Mangione, authorities recovered a handwritten manifesto outlining Mr. Mangione’s motivations and mindset, in which he expressed disdain for corporate America and the healthcare industry. Investigators also found the words “deny,” “defend,” and “statement” on shell casings at the crime scene.

Five updates:

1. Mr. Mangione is facing both state and federal charges in Mr. Thompson’s killing. The federal indictment deadline has been extended to Feb. 17, and his next state court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 21.

In December, Mr. Mangione pleaded not guilty in New York state court to multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism. Federal prosecutors brought their own charges in the shooting case, including murder by using a firearm — a charge that could make him eligible for the death penalty if he’s convicted, according to CNN. The state charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. In addition to the state and federal cases, he’s also facing charges in Pennsylvania, where he’s accused of forgery and possessing an unlicensed firearm.

2. Healthcare organizations and their employees have faced harassment and violent threats since the shootings: a Florida woman was arrested and charged after she told a Blue Cross Blue Shield employee to “Delay, deny, testify. You guys are next” following a denied claim; an HCA Healthcare sign in Nashville was vandalized with the words “deny,” “defend,” and “give a statement”; and a Las Vegas man was arrested after threatening to “shoot up” the Molina Healthcare building.

3. Since the shootings, health systems and insurance companies have tightened security around their executives and removed online biographical information. Some insurance companies have indefinitely stopped allowing their executives to speak to the media or post online.

In an article published in Forbes on January 6, SCAN CEO Sachin Jain, MD, acknowledged the role of insurers in fueling the public’s distrust with the healthcare system and called on the industry to rebuild trust by acknowledging past mistakes, prioritizing patient advocacy, improving preventive care and emphasizing that meaningful change must begin with an acknowledgment: “We are sorry, and we can and will be better.”

4. In the new year, UnitedHealth Group has remained largely silent about the murder. In December, the company tried to correct misinformation being spread about its claims approval rates and CEO Andrew Witty published an article in The New York Times expressing sympathy for people’s frustrations with the healthcare system.

“We mourn the passing of our dear friend and colleague and will continue to work closely with law enforcement and their investigation of this terrible crime,” the company said on December 13.

5. In an Emerson College poll of 1,000 American voters published on December 17, 68% thought the killer’s actions were unacceptable, 17% thought the actions were acceptable and 16% were unsure. Of voters aged 18 to 29, 41% said the killing was acceptable, 40% said it was not acceptable and 19% were neutral.