In an internal video message to employees Dec. 6, UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty addressed the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, along with the wave of public scrutiny and online vitriol the event unleashed. On Dec. 9, a man was arrested on gun charges and brought in for questioning in connection with the killing, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, the New York Police Department said.
"I'm sure everybody has been disturbed by the negative and in many cases vitriolic media and commentary that has been produced over the last few days, particularly in the social media environment," Mr. Witty said. "There are very few people in the history of the U.S. healthcare industry who had a bigger positive effect on American healthcare than Brian."
"Our role is a critical role, and we make sure that care is safe, appropriate and is delivered when people need it," he said. "We 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."
Mr. Thompson was fatally shot the morning of Dec. 4 in "a brazen and targeted attack," according to the NYPD. A motive is currently unknown, but the words "deny," "defend," and "depose" were written on shell casings found at the crime scene.
The killing of the CEO of the nation's largest insurer has sparked a firestorm of online hostility toward the health insurance industry more broadly. Individuals took to social media to share their experiences with delayed and denied care. One federal lawmaker described the situation as unjustified but not surprising, while another said the anger should be directed toward Congress.
Michael Tuffin, CEO of AHIP, the trade association representing health insurers, wrote in a Dec. 5 post on LinkedIn that the association condemns "any suggestion that threats against our colleagues — or anyone else in our country — are ever acceptable."
Insurers quickly tightened security around their executives, moving conferences to virtual formats, temporarily closing offices and removing biographical information online.
"I encourage you to tune out that critical noise that we're hearing right now," Mr. Witty said. "It does not reflect reality. It is simply a sign of an era in which we live. What we must do is focus on what we know to be true. And what we know to be true is that the health system needs a company like UnitedHealth Group, and it needs people like Brian within it."