Gleeful social media response to UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting reveals deep anger toward for-profit insurance

The apparent targeted attack on UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot early Wednesday morning outside his midtown Manhattan hotel, has sparked a noticeable, intense backlash on social media, punctuated by jokes about the tragedy. (At this time, there is no known motive yet in the shooting.)

On UnitedHealth Group’s Facebook post, which announced Thompson’s untimely death, over 37,000 people posted a laughing emoji, while one commenter wrote, “I would offer thoughts and prayers but they are not covered as they are out of network.” (The comments for that post have since been turned off.) Another commenter on X wrote, “As someone covered under UnitedHealthCare i can completely understand the actions taken.”

This lack of empathy for Thompson, and overall anger toward the healthcare system, can be seen as a measure of many Americans’ distrust of healthcare insurance companies and frustration over increasingly high costs for monthly premiums, co-pays, and access to specialists, as well as a growing list of doctor visits and tests that are not covered by insurance.

“When you shoot one man in the street it’s murder. When you kill thousands of people in hospitals by taking away their ability to get treatment you’re an entrepreneur,” a user posted on X. Meanwhile, on Bluesky, one user joked: “My copay for thoughts and prayers is $100,000; I heard his condition was pre-existing; My ability to care was denied; My sympathy requires a referral; Submitted claim for condolences was denied.”

But as another Bluesky user pointed out: “The jokes about the United CEO aren’t really about him; they’re about the rapacious healthcare system he personified and which Americans feel deep pain and humiliation about.”

Fast Company has reached out to UnitedHealth Group for comment and will update this post if we hear back.

On Thursday, New York police, who continue to search for the alleged gunman and have released two new surveillance photos of him, said the attack appears to be premeditated with “the suspect lying in wait for several minutes” before firing several shots.

Officials said casings for those bullets were inscribed with words including “delay” and “deny,” which social media users have interpreted as a pointed message aimed at UnitedHealthcare, which has been heavily criticized by patients and lawmakers for denying patients’ claims. As the New York Times pointed out, even if a doctor or hospital determines a medical treatment is needed, an insurer can refuse to pay the bill, claiming it does not meet the criteria for coverage.

One recent Senate report on Medicare Advantage found when it comes to pre-authorization for post-acute care, United’s denial rate was 22.7% in 2022, nearly double what it was two years earlier in 2020.

Meanwhile, on Bluesky, users shared the hashtag #DelayDenyDefend, a popular phrase in the insurance industry, and a possible nod to the bullet inscriptions.