Two months after United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was murdered, sending shockwaves through the highly respectful US health insurance industry, and the company's parent UnitedHealth Group protects its image They are taking proactive action to do so.
In response to numerous attacks online, Luigi Mangione (who was charged with Thompson's murder outside a hotel in Midtown Manhattan in December, writing a brief manifesto calling health insurance companies “parasitism.” Coupled with that, the company hired the company. A law firm specializing in honor and loss cases. Virginia-based practice Claire Locke aired a $787.5 million settlement by Fox News after it aired false allegations about the company's supposed role in voter fraud during the 2020 election. The bomb paid for the honour and loss lawsuit, previously represented the Dominion voting system.
UnitedHealth is keen to create a similar example of Elizabeth Potter, a plastic surgeon in Austin, Texas, and “use her social media to perpetuate inaccurate, unethical and dangerous inaccuracies.” “He criticizes him. On January 7th, Potter posted a video On Instagram, she shared her complaints with the US insurance system, and in a text caption, “I was interrupted by a call from United Healthcare. The patient was already asleep on the operating table. They were I requested information on diagnosis and justification for hospitalized patients. I would like to find that people on line were not even able to access the patient's full medical information despite already prior approval. had to scrub the midsurgery to call United.”
“That's not frustrating, and frankly, it's not acceptable,” Potter continued. “We need to focus on care, not bureaucracy,” the comment was more widely present in UniteHealthCare and commercial health insurance rage. “Luigi for the President” was one person, while another wrote, “One day these health insurance companies die.”
A few days later, according to the report BloombergPotter's lawyer received a letter from Claire Locke instructing United to correct, apologize and deny the threat of violence they allegedly originated from the video. But Potter's legal counsel Jessica Underwood said there is no inaccurate video that needs to be corrected. “Dr. Potter will not be silent on United Healthcare's attempts to threaten and harass her,” Underwood said. Meanwhile, the company said, “Dr. Potter's claim that she was called out from surgery is wrong.” Potter's Instagram video has over 350,000 likes! It remains on the platform that receives it.
Elsewhere, UnitedHealth has taken steps to prevent the spread of internal data regarding customer denial of claims. (UnitedHealth Group's individual market plans are The highest rejection rate Among all US insurance companies, the fact that Thompson's death attracted media attention. ) Lever reportedUnitedHealth submitted the day after President Donald Trump's inauguration in January letter Using a third-party auditor to the Securities and Exchange Commission, he said, “Evaluating previous customer rejection claims, particularly in cases of death, and whether the rejection letter contains virtually insensitive and insensitive information. We are seeking approval to block shareholder proposals, “We will determine whether or not.” If the external analyst determines that the press claim should not be rejected, the proposal states that the affected individuals and families are hand-signed apologies by both UnitedHealth executors and members of the company's board of directors. You will be sent a letter. director.
As the legal team wrote in the letter, UnitedHealth's basis for refusing to vote on such a policy is that the proposal was not submitted prior to the “applicable deadline.”
Then, on January 31st, the insurance company sent a Second letter We ask the SEC to prevent shareholders from voting on another proposal related to the denial of the claim. This proposal, if passed by investors, recommends that UnitedHealth “evaluate how corporate practices affect health care and access to patient outcomes. For patients.” Created through this review The reports also aim to include “public health-related costs and macroeconomic risks created by company practices that limit or delay access to health care.”
In their letter, UniteHealth rejected the concept of voting for a shareholder vote because the proposal is “ambiguous and indefinitely”.
The insurance giant attempt to police social media has seen hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman share his views on the company's future earlier this week on its business practices and Trump's overture to the SEC. Sometimes it took away the future. “If I still short-circuited the stock, I'll shorten United Healthcare,” he posted on X on Tuesday, adding that the SEC should “have a thorough investigation of the company.” He adds, “You wouldn't be surprised to find that the profitability of the company is so exaggerated due to the medically necessary procedures and denial of patient care.”
Ackman later deleted the speculation, but UnitedHealth He flagged the SEC for his comments For potential investigations. The company's stock price soaked the next day, ending the week about 2.7% lower than Tuesday. “Health insurance has long been subject to regulatory oversight and revenue caps,” UnitedHealth said in 2024 that many very wealthy supporters have supported Trump on social media about MAGA alone. He said in a statement in response to an outspoken investor, one of the people. Movement can save the country. “The claim that health insurance companies that normally have low to low digit margins can listen in some way, noting that the structure of this sector and strong regulatory oversight is We are not so badly informed,” the company said.
United Health has increased its reputation defenses that are much stronger than they were two months ago. Now, the company appears ready to crush it as Mangion's parallel state and federal trials progress.
