UnitedHealthcare’s CEO Sought Reputation Repair Before Shooting [WATCH]

According to a recent report by The New York Post, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson had been working tirelessly to repair the company’s public reputation before his untimely death in December 2024.

Thompson, who was gunned down outside a Manhattan hotel, reportedly recognized the mounting frustration Americans felt toward massive health insurance companies, including UnitedHealthcare.

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson wanted to improve company’s public image before he was killed: report. So Luigi killed somebody who was trying to make changes. Good job Luigi. https://t.co/jreKbzn9Ph

— Mike Ponti (@PontiMike) December 17, 2024

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Thompson’s efforts to address these concerns were described by a colleague who spoke anonymously to The Washington Post. Thompson “understood that the public was frustrated with what they perceived the company’s actions to be,” the source said.

“He was actively articulating a vision that helped better educate and help people better understand what the company is doing.”

The health insurance industry, home to nearly 1,000 companies, has long been a source of public confusion and criticism. Thompson, 50, reportedly pushed for UnitedHealthcare to take concrete steps to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for lifesaving medications.

He acknowledged that the complex role insurance conglomerates play in health care only worsened public skepticism.

Thompson rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic when his leadership proved critical. At the time, Congress allocated billions of dollars in emergency funds for hospitals and providers but lacked a practical method to distribute the money.

Thompson offered UnitedHealthcare’s banking arm to expedite the process, ensuring over $135 billion reached hospitals and clinics within a week. The move was widely praised for preventing thousands of hospitals from shutting their doors during the crisis. Just a year later, Thompson was promoted to CEO.

“We know that millions of our members experience complex health issues each year, throughout the year,” Thompson said in a 2022 speech. “We can help carry the burden.”

Despite such contributions, UnitedHealthcare has faced intense scrutiny in recent years. A 2023 report from the Department of Health and Human Services revealed that UnitedHealthcare and other insurers had alarmingly high rates of prior authorization denials for Medicaid patients.

CEO Brian Thompson’s CHILLING warning before assassination pic.twitter.com/HYTXdi6Th0

— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) December 17, 2024

Additionally, a Senate report released in October faulted the company for frequently denying Medicare Advantage claims. To add to the storm, Thompson had been named in an insider trading lawsuit.

Thompson’s life came to a shocking end on December 4 when he was fatally shot outside the Hilton Hotel on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan.

The alleged shooter, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, had written a handwritten manifesto targeting the health insurance industry, singling out UnitedHealthcare. Mangione accused companies like Thompson’s of exploiting Americans for profit.

“The reality is, these [companies] have gotten too powerful, and they continue to abuse our country for immense profit,” Mangione reportedly wrote.

Following the news of Thompson’s death, anger toward the health insurance industry spilled onto social media. Users vented their frustrations about dealing with health insurers, with some even celebrating Mangione’s actions — a disturbing reflection of public sentiment toward the sector.

Thompson’s death marks a tragic and violent turn in the ongoing tensions between everyday Americans and the insurance giants they feel have failed them. His efforts to steer UnitedHealthcare in a better direction, however, will not be forgotten by those who knew his leadership.