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Saturday, January 11, 2025

Mysterious messages on bullets utilized in United Healthcare boss slaying


Authorities in New York are unraveling the stunning homicide of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, who was fatally shot outdoors the Hilton Midtown Lodge on December 4. The assassination, described as a “brazen, focused assault,” has raised questions on potential motives, together with a disturbing hyperlink to the insurance coverage business’s practices and – a controversial guide.

The Crime and Cryptic Clues

Thompson, 50, was gunned down whereas strolling throughout the road to his lodge. The suspect, masked and ready close to the doorway, fired a number of photographs from a silenced gun, hitting Thompson within the again and leg, earlier than fleeing on an electrical bicycle towards Central Park.

What has captured public and police consideration alike is the invention of three bullet casings inscribed with the phrases “deny,” “defend,” and “depose”  alongside three dwell rounds. Investigators consider these inscriptions might be symbolic, presumably referencing systemic practices within the insurance coverage business, and are actually probing a doable connection to the 2010 guide Delay, Deny, Defend by Jay M. Feinman.

The search has already lead police to a hostel on the Higher West Facet the place detectives consider their suspect used a faux ID and paid in money.

Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed the assault was premeditated. Surveillance footage exhibits the gunman mendacity in wait, a indisputable fact that aligns with statements from Thompson’s spouse, Paulette, who revealed her husband had acquired threats.

A Troubling Parallel with Feinman’s E-book

Feinman’s guide, Delay, Deny, Defend, critiques insurance coverage corporations for prioritizing revenue over equity by delaying payouts, denying legitimate claims, and vigorously defending their selections in court docket. The etched phrases discovered on the crime scene mirror themes central to Feinman’s critique, sparking hypothesis that the shooter might need been impressed by the guide, and should have suffered a denied declare by the hands of the large insurer.

The guide examines the erosion of the great religion precept in insurance coverage, a key tenet requiring corporations to behave in policyholders’ finest pursuits. Feinman highlights how these techniques typically depart customers with out recourse, significantly these unfamiliar with their authorized rights.

Authorities haven’t confirmed any definitive hyperlink between the guide and the crime, however the connection has drawn important public and media consideration, intensifying scrutiny of UnitedHealthcare’s enterprise practices.

UnitedHealthcare Beneath the Microscope

Thompson’s homicide has reignited criticism of UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest well being insurer, accused of unethical practices. Allegations embody utilizing bureaucratic obstacles and synthetic intelligence to disclaim claims, significantly via the AI software NaviHealth. A latest class-action lawsuit claims the system incorrectly denies 90% of post-acute care requests for Medicare Benefit members.

In July, over 150 demonstrators protested outdoors the corporate’s Minnesota headquarters, calling its practices exploitative. Critics have accused UnitedHealthcare of leaving sufferers with out important care, a declare echoed by Paulette Thompson. “Individuals had been threatening him over an absence of protection,” she instructed NBC.

Investigation Gathers Momentum

The NYPD has launched surveillance footage of a masked suspect and is pursuing a number of leads. A cell phone recovered close to the scene and eyewitness reviews counsel the suspect escaped into Central Park. A $10,000 reward has been supplied for data resulting in the shooter’s seize.

Flags at UnitedHealthcare’s Minnesota campus have been lowered to half-mast. Andrew Witty, CEO of UnitedHealth Group, expressed condolences in a message to staff: “Brian was a very extraordinary one who touched the lives of numerous folks all through our group and much past. It’s a horrible tragedy.”

Thompson’s Legacy

A longtime chief within the healthcare business, Thompson turned CEO of UnitedHealthcare in 2021. He beforehand served in varied senior roles, together with overseeing Medicare and Medicaid packages, and managed the corporate’s mergers and acquisitions.

He’s survived by his spouse, Paulette, two sons, his mom, and a brother. The tragedy has left the healthcare and insurance coverage industries grappling with each grief and an pressing want for solutions.

The cryptic clues, premeditated nature of the assault, and potential connections to systemic injustices in insurance coverage have left investigators piecing collectively a fancy and chilling case.

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