The murder of UnitedHealthCare’s CEO Brian Thompson in New York City on December 4th has pushed the debate over the United States healthcare system into the center of attention. Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare, part of UnitedHealthGroup, one of America’s largest companies, provided private health insurance to over 49 million individuals across the US and was holding its annual investor’s conference in New York City when its CEO was shot directly in front of the hotel hosting the conference.
Following the murder, police engaged in a roughly week-long manhunt attempting to follow the murderer’s escape. On December 9th, following a tip at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s, police arrested 26-year-old Maryland resident Luigi Mangione and charged him with a variety of crimes related to the murder. He is now facing extradition to New York where authorities intend to charge him with Brian Thompson’s murder.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was murdered on December 4th (Associated Press, 2024)
Upon Luigi Mangione’s arrest, police discovered an unregistered 3D-printed gun and silencer like those used in the murder, along with a 262-word manifesto, in which he takes credit for the murder and explains his reasoning. Mangione, who had cut off contact with his family 6 months ago, leading his mother to file a missing person’s report, purportedly suffered a severe back injury, which hampered many aspects of his quality of life. As such, some have speculated that this injury led to his decision to take a radical course of action against the US healthcare industry. The gun found in Luigi Mangione’s backpack has now been said to match a series of bullet cases found at the scene of the murder, which had the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose,” engraved in them, words critics of the industry say are tactics used by healthcare providers to defraud their customers. This discovery has incited conjecture that a claim related to his back injury had possibly been denied, or that Mangione’s decision to undertake such violent action against the health insurance industry resulted from some kind of mistreatment related to his injury. Nevertheless, Mangione’s origin as a member of a very affluent Maryland family has created much confusion regarding his motive.
Public response to the murder has been mixed: many have expressed outrage and sadness at the killing while others who share Luigi Mangione’s apparent outrage towards the American healthcare industry have applauded the murder. Those supporting the murder hope it will force companies to do more for their customers, yet others say that while they agree with Mangione’s dissatisfaction with the healthcare system, murder was not a justified response. Nonetheless, following the murder, the debate over America’s unique healthcare system has reignited. Many criticize the industry as taking advantage of sick people and putting profits over people’s lives and health. UnitedHealthCare’s recent increase in their share of declined claims has sparked outrage among those who claim that the company illegally declines valid claims and is defrauding its customers to increase profit levels, which have increased from $12 billion in 2021 to $16 billion last year.
Surveillance Camera Footage Capturing the Murder (No author, 2024)
The murder has enthralled the American public and captivated the media’s attention; reporters and amateur social media sleuths alike have delved into Mangione’s online presence, searching for information about him and why he seems to have committed this crime. Of note has been his profile on Goodreads, a social media platform for rating books and writing reviews, where Mangione demonstrated a wide range of interests, from Dr Seuss’ childhood classic The Lorax to self-help novels to famed anti-technology terrorist, Ted Kaczynski’s, manifesto Industrial Society and its Future. The latter choice has led some to draw comparisons between the two, both of whom resorted to violence in a protest against an aspect of the system, though in his review of Kaczynski’s book, Mangione wrote that he was “rightfully imprisoned”.
While Mangione awaits a decision on his impending extradition to New York, prosecutors have begun building their case against him. As more and more evidence is uncovered, prosecutors are confident in their case but also must first find an acceptable jury panel, something that may be made difficult by the case’s widespread media coverage but also the widespread resentment towards the healthcare system. Nevertheless, many Americans are waiting to see the effects this will have on the healthcare system in the future.
Featured image: The suspected murderer, Luigi Mangione, entering a Pennsylvania Courthouse (Getty Images, 2024)
