Three days after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally gunned down by a masked man lying in wait outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel, the head of the insurer's parent company addressed anxious staff in a video sent to all US employees.
In it, UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty told underlings that their work was "critical" in preventing the US medical system from providing "unnecessary" care he claimed would eventually drive up costs to an "unsustainable" level - as he complained about the "vitriolic" media coverage of the shooting.
The two-minute-and-forty-five-second speech came in the wake of widespread glee over the news of Thompson's murder by Americans who have been denied coverage while insurance companies earn record profits. While social media users shared anecdotes about being denied coverage some musicians have even written and shared murder ballads they composed following Thompson's killing, elevating the as-yet unidentified subject, who remains on the run, to near-folk hero status.
UnitedHealthcare reportedly has one of the highest denial rates in the entire healthcare industry, and was last year sued for allegedly using a "flawed" AI algorithm to "systematically deny" coverage to seniors.
"I'm sure everybody has been disturbed by the amount of negative, and in many cases, vitriolic, media and commentary that has been produced over the last few days, particularly in the social media environment," Witty said in the video, which was leaked to independent investigative journalist Ken Klippenstein. "And I want to reassure you of a few things."
Witty said the company would continue to put customers "first," making an argument, without providing specifics, that UnitedHealthcare's "mission... is truly to make sure that we help the system improve by helping the experiences of individuals get better and better."
He told employees that Thompson was dedicated to this somewhat nebulous goal, and claimed few people "in the history of the US healthcare industry [have] had a bigger positive effect on American healthcare than Brian."
According to Witty, UnitedHealthcare's "role is a critical role" in making sure that care is "safe, appropriate, and is delivered when people need it." At the same time, Witty emphasized, "[W]e guard against the pressures that exist for unsafe care, or for unnecessary care, to be delivered in a way which makes the whole system too complex, and ultimately unsustainable."
"So, we continue to make that case," Witty said in conclusion. "We will continue to do the work we do... I encourage you to tune out that critical noise that we're hearing right now. It does not reflect reality. It is simply a sign of an era in which we live."
Witty then exhorted staff to "focus on what we know to be true."
"And what we know to be true," he went on, is that the "health system needs a company like UnitedHealth Group."
Investigators now believe the suspect in Thompson's killing may be a disgruntled customer or client.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny revealed that three words were etched into rounds and shell casings found at the crime scene - "delay," "deny," and "depose" -- a possible reference to Rutgers Law professor Jay Feinman's book, Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It. (Feinman declined to comment when reached by this week by The Independent.)
For its part, UnitedHealthcare issued a statement, saying: "While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place. So many patients, consumers, health care professionals, associations, government officials and other caring people have taken time out of their day to reach out. We are thankful, even as we grieve. Our priorities are, first and foremost, supporting Brian's family; ensuring the safety of our employees; and working with law enforcement to bring the perpetrator to justice."
The as-yet unidentified shooter remains a fugitive with the multistate manhunt now in its third day.