While UnitedHealth Group likely thought a guest essay in the New York Times was a good way to shift public perception, chief executive officer Andrew Witty's message didn't build trust, but sparked more criticism.
While few could have predicted the level of fury the American public unleashed against the company following the recent murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, it's probably predictable that the company would try to somehow take control of the narrative.
But the resulting op-ed generated thousands of online responses -- so many that the Times had to shut down commenting -- demonstrating how angry consumers are with UnitedHealth and the insurance industry.
"We know the health system does not work as well as it should, and we understand people's frustrations with it," Witty wrote. "No one would design a system like the one we have. And no one did. It's a patchwork built over decades."
It was the following line -- "Our mission is to help make it work better" -- that seems to have struck readers as either tone-deaf or just disingenuous.
Sarah Bregel, covering the story for Fast Company, combed through the comments, pulling out examples of outraged patients and disgusted doctors, describing the company as one of the most unethical in the industry.
"As an outpatient M.D., I can tell you that I know why United was the MOST profitable of all the healthcare companies -- because it denied the most," wrote one commenter. "United made me get authorization for cheap medications like ACE inhibitors and tests like Ultrasounds. No other major insurer did that."
The backlash isn't just anecdotal. Data shows widespread frustration with healthcare coverage denials. Miranda Yaver, a professor of public health policy at the University of Pittsburgh, told NPR's "Morning Edition" her research finds 36% of U.S. adults have experienced at least one coverage denial. Those denials aren't just a bureaucratic annoyance but a cause of stress and financial panic.
U.S. News & World Report cites a Commonwealth Fund Affordability survey that says when someone or a family member experienced a denial, 80% say it caused anxiety and worry, 47% say a health problem worsened as a result, and 16% say it delayed a diagnosis. Only 7% say it had no impact.
It might have been better for Witty to say nothing - at least until he had something substantive to say. "This is a situation where the enormous frustration and anger people have with the U.S. healthcare system and the insurance industry make it extremely difficult for UnitedHealth Group's CEO to say anything that isn't perceived as self-serving," says Anthony D'Angelo, department chair of public relations at Syracuse University. "Given widespread dissatisfaction with health insurance claim denials and multi-million-dollar executive salaries, people don't want to hear words -- they want to see action.
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A better crisis response might be spearheading industry efforts to improve the system and demonstrate that the company and its leadership want to be part of a solution. UnitedH ealthcare will undoubtedly still face tremendous criticism no matter what. "But by committing to action aimed at change, it could -- over time and with effort and investment -- change the conversation and be seen in a better light," D'Angelo tells Marketing Daily via email. "People don't believe what you say. They believe what you do, and reputations are built primarily by behaviors repeated over time.