Was UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson just an innocent victim?

[Anonymous]

In the Capitalist economic system in the US, scamming people to make more money is pretty much considered normal as long as you don't get caught, and insurance companies have long made a practice of this. Could Thompson be said to have just been doing what was expected of him, and was he therefore an innocent victim?

He had it coming:

He ws an innocent victim:

[MisterWack]

I condemn what happened and a loss of life especially to violence is dead wrong.

Though one has to understand the why? Why did this occur? Insurance companies deny claims of those paying a yearly sum of money on the benefits they need once there is a medical emergency that requires a hefty payment to ensure they are covered in this over expensive American healthcare system…. My elderly parents were denied even after paying decades and the fine print screwed them over of benefits they deserved, all that money lost. Now imagine everyday Americans getting screwed over like that, the anger building up that our politicians in Congress & Senate & Presidential Office don’t do anything to fix it / hold these companies accountable & these CEOs carry out the orders of their superiors and squeeze the public for every last drop to maximize efficiency. The efficiency of money, when it costs them less and they are raking in the dough more at a positive rate of profit that is what is good for the company in which they don’t care about the ‘consumer’ paying for the services. It is a legal scam and it is wrong. Frustrations lead to actions and this action wasn’t legislative…

I advise people to continue to bring up their healthcare stories, talk about policies that should be in place, and keep this issue alive & well in the news cycle so more know about it and more have a political opinion that can allow us to move toward greater solution in the legislative bodies to actually get shit done if they want to keep their seat!

[MisterWack]

*This screws up people regardless of political alignment and we need to come together & unite this nation against this horrible atrocity so the corporations can’t divide us up and make this a ‘political thing’, it is an American thing and it has to change for the betterment of us all thank you!

[DrPepper12]

There are no innocents in capitalism. It rewards depravity, violence and selfishness.

[Asker]

truth.

[Anonymous]

I mean, I am not cheering for that to happen to him, but I am not going to shed a tear for him. You have people wish dislocated sholuders and they can't go to the doctor to get it fixed because they can't deal with $40,000 bill because him and UnitedHealthcare want to save a couple of dollars for themselves.

Again not cheering for it, but I am not going to lose any sleep over it either. He didn't lose any sleep over the people that died because he refused to insure them.

[Twalli]

Nobody would agree to a $40,000 bill for a dislocated shoulder. The way it works is that the bill is just an estimate on what the doctor wants to charge. The insurance and the doctor agreed on a maximum that insurance would pay. That is adjusted to what the procedure actually costs. Then, if your deductible is reached, insurance pays most of it. So, insurance would never agree to that because they're paying over $38K for a dislocated shoulder for everyone who has reached their deductible which is usually not in excess of $2,000.

[Asker]

@Twalli The most important phrase in this is "insurance pays most of it". I think you know why.

[Opinion Owner]

@twalli It should just be free like other countries with socialized medicine. I know the argument "Oh, but then we would have to wait long to see a doctor" it's the same shit in the American. You're waiting three months to see a heart. And people here socialized medicine and think is communism is another reason why they think it won't work, but we can see in the Nordic countries and Canada it is not free money that comes from no where like communism people pay into those services. Rich or poor in the Nordic countries they don't care you have to pay your fair share.

[goaded]

On my last skiing holiday, someone shattered their elbow. It needed an operation, with enough screws and other hardware to build a cupboard. 400 Euros. And that would be covered by the NHS.

[Twalli]

If you're arguing for universal healthcare, that's a different thing altogether. Yet, under the current system, that's how it works here.

[goaded]

@Twalli You can have universal health care and insurance companies (like the US and Germany), but they have to be regulated to stop corruption.

[Asker]

No - he just counted his money.

[Twalli]

@goaded As long as there are "for profit" insurance companies they will put their own interests above those of their subscribers. If you want one that isn't for profit, you can find it. The ability to find a covered provider is harder, but at least you know that the company isn't out to make $. I was covered under one such company at my old job.

[Asker]

@Twalli What are the names of some not-for-profit insurance companies?

[Twalli]

Medica is the one I had. I don't remember the name of the others I've heard of. I also don't think they're available on the marketplace. So you might only get it if you're an employee of a company that offers it.

[Anonymous]

people do realize private health care is optional right?

if CEO Brian Thompson is a scammer, then so is college and any other multi-million/billion companies and businesses

free market capitalism allows you to choose whether you want private health insurance or not or simply go to another health care insurance provider

RFK Jr was installed to take on the corruption in the health department. we don't need vigilantes running around shooting people but there better be consistency for those who agree with Luigi Mangione

[Asker]

"free market capitalism allows you to choose whether you want private health insurance or not or simply go to another health care insurance provider"

Free market capitalism, is an illusion in healthcare. Price fixing is rampant.

[Opinion Owner]

if no one buys private health insurance, then insurance companies will go bankrupt and be forced to lower their prices

the American people aren't doing their part to stay as healthy as possible and not needing private health insurance. both men and women engaging in unhealthy lifestyles, drinking, smoking, junk food. men lowering their testosterone by binging on porn and video games all day, women not taking care of their sexual and mental health by whoring around, overdosing on anti-depressants and a whole host of other hormonal altering pills and on top of the chemical toxins in our food and water we choose to ignore until RFK Jr brings it up

at the very least private health insurance can be given to those truly in need and claims are less likely to be denied when the system can't be rorted by purposeful dishonest claim

this is a self-correcting problem that doesn't need the government to come in and fix everything for us when we can fix it ourselves as it pertains to capitalism in health insurance

[goaded]

Scamming people for money is one thing, especially if it's money they can afford to lose, it's something else when it can predictably lead to deaths.

Nobody deserves to be killed, but he wasn't "innocent".

[Twalli]

UHC's dealings weren't exactly cloak and dagger. Anyone who wanted could discover it.

[Asker]

you could discover it only by becoming one of their insureds.

[Twalli]

I knew of it without being insured. Granted I am a medical coder, so I accessed their information from a provider portal as opposed to a patient

[Asker]

What were you able to see on their portal?

[Twalli]

Everything that they covered and the prices. As well as a copy of the patient's card and specific coverage. I'm not sure most laypersons would understand most of what I was reading though. To be a coder, you have to have an above average understanding of medical terms. If you have a chance try to read your medical records on MyChart (probably what you have). I don't have to scroll to the bottom or ask for clarification to understand what it is saying.

[Asker]

I have access to many patient charts. Not sure I can see what you see, however. I will ask my coder if she can...

[Asker]

Let's keep in mind that most patients cannot see what you and my coder and I can see, and if they can, they cannot understand it. So anyone who wants it cannot get it or understand it, making it a lot less than transparent really.

[Twalli]

They can see what is necessary. There is also the ability to look up the terms to understand what they mean.

[Asker]

Yes, but I think that implies a degree of curiosity and intellect which the majority of people don't possess, unfortunately.

[Twalli]

Which means that it's on them.

[Asker]

How so?

[Twalli]

If you choose not to educate yourself on the coverage you'll be getting and the prices, that is on you. It's available if you're willing to look.