WASHINGTON (AP) – Most Americans say health insurance benefits and coverage denials share responsibility for the United Healthcare CEO's murder, although not as much as the person who pulled the trigger, according to a new poll. I believe that.
in University of Chicago NORC studyabout 8 in 10 U.S. adults said the person who committed the murder had “a great deal” or “some” responsibility for the incident. December 4th shooting Brian Thompson's.
Nevertheless, some are casting Thompson's murder suspect, Luigi Mangione, 26, as a heroic figure following his arrest. Outpouring of dissatisfaction with insurance companies. Police said ammunition investigators found at the scene had the words “Delay,” “Reject” and “Destroy” scrawled on them. Echoes of phrases commonly used to describe insurance company tactics To avoid paying insurance claims.
UnitedHealthcare told Mangione: wasn't a customer.
About 7 in 10 adults say that the denial of coverage by insurance companies, or the profits made by health insurance companies, are at least “somewhat” responsible for Thompson's death. Younger Americans in particular are more likely to see the murders as the result of multiple forces converging, rather than the actions of a single person.
Americans see a wide range of factors contributing to the UHC CEO's murder
Opinion polls found that the story of the killing received widespread attention. About seven in 10 people said they had heard or read “a lot” or “some” about Thompson's death.
It is believed that multiple factors are responsible. About half of those polled believe at least a “moderate” amount of responsibility is rooted in wealth and income inequality, but they doubt that other factors, such as America's political divide, are equally responsible. Not yet.
Patients and doctors often complain about denials of insurance coverage and other complications. interfere with careEspecially in the case of serious diseases such as cancer, amyotrophic lateral sclerosisor ALS. Critics of the insurance industry frequently point to corporate interests when questioning whether patients' interests are paramount.
UnitedHealthcare earned more than $16 billion before interest and taxes last year on revenue of $281 billion. Insurance companies are well aware that most of their revenue goes back out to pay for treatment. UnitedHealthcare announced this month that it will pay about 90% of medical claims at the time of submission. The insurance company did not provide details on the number of claims affected.
In the case of young people, responsibility is distributed equally between the insurance company and the murderer.
Americans under 30 are especially likely to believe that a combination of factors contributed to Thompson's death. They say the insurance company's denials and profits are just as responsible for Thompson's death as the killer. About 7 in 10 U.S. adults between the ages of 18 and 29 say they are “very much” or “somewhat” responsible for the profits made by health insurance companies and for denying health insurance coverage by health insurance companies or murderers. The answer is yes.
Young people are also the least likely age group to say that the person who committed the murder was “very much” responsible. Only about 4 in 10 adults between the ages of 30 and 59 said so, compared with about 6 in 10. About 8 in 10 adults over 60 say they have a “great deal” of responsibility.
In general, about two-thirds of young people condemn wealth and income inequality to at least a moderate level.
People under 30 are more likely to blame the media, with 54% saying so, compared to about a third of older adults.
3 in 10 people had trouble getting health insurance last year
Dissatisfaction with health insurance companies, coverage and the complex U.S. health care system has been simmering for years. among patients.
Approximately 3 in 10 Americans have experienced problems in the past year, including problems finding a suitable in-network provider, having their claim denied, or obtaining pre-authorization or insurance company approval before receiving treatment. said they had problems obtaining insurance from health insurance companies. These struggles are more prevalent among Americans under 60.
Insurers say preauthorization helps eliminate waste in the system and lets people know whether their care will be covered before it is provided.
Approximately 3 in 10 people in the survey said that a close family member or close friend had experienced problems getting insurance from their health insurance company in the last year. Americans under 30 are among the most likely to say they have no health insurance.
Most Americans have health insurance through their jobs or through private insurance. Another government-funded program provides insurance to people who are low-income, over 65, or have a serious illness or disability.
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The poll of 1,001 adults was conducted Dec. 12-16, 2024 using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. It was done. The margin of sampling error for all adults is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.
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Associated Press reporter Tom Murphy reported from Indianapolis.
