CEO of UnitedHealthcare fatally shot outside of NYC hotel, source says
UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot outside NYC hotel in 'premeditated, preplanned targeted attack'
Remember this?
UnitedHealth uses AI model with 90% error rate to deny care, lawsuit alleges
CEOs have not been held accountable for their actions by the legal system. This is inevitable with the way the United States is set up
If this happens to two or three more CEOs over the next couple of months, they'll change their position on gun control, not change their behaviors that made somebody do this. And "they're coming for our guns" morons would find a way to not only excuse it, but fully support it, at least at first.
If this happens to two or three more CEOs over the next couple of months, they’ll change their position on gun control,
Say what? Nearly every CEO who is willing to talk about firearms is already pushing for more Gun Control with both their words and their money. The obvious exceptions are of course Firearm CEOs and maybe Elon Musk.
Seriously, have you ever looked at whose funding all of the Gun Control efforts and Politicians in this country? It's a veritable whose who of Democrat Billionaires and CEOs.
NYS already banned suppressors for the plebes. Only cops can buy them in NYS. And its highly unlikely they had a NYC permit, for carry, only cops get easy NYC permits, and also C execs like this guy who pays off the right people, in the correct amounts.
So, this means, it must have been a cop that did the shooting. Because it could have been an oligarch with the legal gun, but they couldn't get a suppressor in NYS.
they'll just define "our" as "voted republican" - EZ Clap
So then just buy illegal guns to carry out your crimes. Problem solved.
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.”
Hopefully this makes all those money grubbing assholes consider how many of the millions of people they've fucked over have access to firearms and their location.
There's an interesting book called Narconomics: How to run a drug cartel that goes into detail about why there's so much violence in the drug world. It all comes down to there not being a legal system where people can peacefully resolve disputes.
If Pepsi stole Coke's formula and brand name, Coke would sue them. But if a rival cartel infringes on your territory, you have no choice but to get to murdering.
Now, I don't know the motivations of why this healthcare CEO was shot - and I don't condone violence. But I will say that I see some strong parallels where it feels hopeless from a consumer point of view when dealing with insurance companies. The whole process, including the legal system, seems tailored to take away your power. So I'm not at all surprised that violence has occurred.
Thompson, who was named CEO in April 2021, was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai West.
Good thing he had health insurance for his stay at Mount Sinai; some aren't so lucky thanks to worthless puddles of filth like this.
Edit: Zero sympathy. Negative sympathy, even.
Link above to ARS Technica article titled: UnitedHealth uses AI model with 90% error rate to deny care, lawsuit alleges.
Are they sure it wasn't a pre-existing condition?
Yeah, it’s crazy how terminal affluenza can be these days
UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot outside NYC hotel in 'premeditated, preplanned targeted attack'
premeditated
preplanned
Ah, so a preexisting condition. So sorry, law enforcement can't do anything about it.
It should go without saying that such violence is not good and not supportable.
That said, I also think those who make monopolistic fortunes off the sick while also dictating refusal of care to the sick are categorically not civilians. It is what it is.
Why should this piece of shit get more sympathy than a convenience store cashier who gets shot during a robbery?
Because the mods get off on simping for the rich it seems.
Oh no not violence against the rich! Inexcusable I say!
It's apparently against community rules to discuss violence in any form.
So instead let's talk about giving CEOs bunnies. Everybody loves bunnies and maybe putting a bunny in a CEOs lap will show them the love they are sorely missing.
Give every CEO a bunny. Give them 20. Give them bunnies while their backs are turned, surprise them with bunnies. Send them bunnies to their homes. Let them y know they are loved even while they're away from work. Put bunnies in their beds, in their cars. No billionaire CEO should ever turn a corner without knowing a bunny is there waiting. Let the billionaires know the true depths of our love. With bunnies.
Violence is the reason every judge tip toed around Trump. Violence is possibly the only factor America will listen to. It's certainly the only language they speak.
Even well executed and thought out peaceful non compliance only worked after taking a lot of beatings and with a bit of luck.
And most importantly, with the threat of violence as the alternative.
I’ll send the ceo some hopes and prayers
Fucking hell the mods are on a tear here. How does that boot taste?
Also go fuck yourself, mods.
It should go without saying
Shoooould it thoooough?
I almost commented that UnitedHealthcare doesn't have a monopoly, but that's really only true at a national level. In some US states, they're the only option.
The disgusting profits are a product the health insurance industry, they only make money by denying coverage. It's an environment that encourages human suffering.
"those who make monopolistic fortunes off the sick while also dictating refusal of care to the sick" is hardly arbitrary, though, is it. It's quite a high bar to clear, that. It's rational too, since they do many orders of magnitude more harm than e.g. a death row inmate, whom society is content to destroy.
Buddy if you think it's just the left operating this way I have some beach front property in Arizona for a good price.
being judgmental towards the only person in the comments being even vaguely critical of murder because you can’t read
It should go without saying that such violence is not good and not supportable.
I am not celebrating. It's a tragedy, even if a predictable one. We'll all do better with a little more cooperation and a lot less greed.
I don't like it when people die, or get maimed.
If I say that I can understand how something like this happens, it's not out of sympathy for the murderer. It's just an accounting of facts amidst the fact that billions of people exist so obviously someone is going to be willing to kill for their perceived injustices. Especially when injustices are a lot more concrete than abstract.
The ruling class isn't a "civilian", because they literally command armed forces.
While not always called "armies", their function is the same: Secure the interest of the capitalist class.
Just like I wouldn't call the POTUS a "civilian", as the POTUS commands an armed force.
Insurance companies regularly commit acts of violence on the poor and sick for the benefit of their bottom line. People literally die because of the decisions this CEO made, so when the shoe is on the other foot, don't come crying because we know you're not an innocent actor, insurance company.
Not to mention lobbying against anything that would possibly help the situation and unseat them of their stranglehold on people's medical outcomes.
We've been led to believe that killing someone through the world's shitiest Rube Goldberg machine of paperwork, policy, legalese, and "just doing my job" is somehow not killing someone.
Killing with a pen is no morally better than killing with a gun. One just takes longer than the other.
Let’s be honest here. This is probably the only way a ceo would ever be punished for crimes against the poor in America. Unfortunately this will probably lead to the increased militarisation of ceo security teams (and the police) rather than a recognition of why someone would want to dome a ceo in the first place.
It's nice that whomever did this didn't take their grudge out on a bunch of powerless workers. So often you see someone with a grudge against... whatever end up shooting a bunch of minimum wage employees who had no hand in their misfortune.
I feel sorry for the people who suffered and died due to the awful health insurance industry.
I am honestly surprised people fucked over by health insurance haven't tried to take things into their own hands before, if that's what this is. And if that's not what this is, it surprises me that it hasn't happened yet.
Plenty of people (me included) have been severely fucked over by insurance companies. I'm not willing to kill anyone, but there are a lot of people out there who are. Especially if they know they're dying and have nothing to lose.
The CEO is an employee, a manager. You know how shops have managers hired by the owners to run the place? If that were the motive, wouldn't owners be the preferred target?
A CEO is a CEO. Just because they are accountable to the shareholders does not make them working class. The CEO is the closest thing a corporation has to a singular owner. Their compensation package includes shares (ownership) of the company and they are the ones who make the decisions.
Literally their "job" is to be responsible for the actions of a corporation.
CEOs often are paid primarily in stock, so more than likely this guy had a significant ownership stake.
Excuse me? There is a bit left there on your chin.
If the CEO disagrees with the directions of the board, the CEO has a number of options. They can easily be considered culpable.
Sometimes you take what you can get.
I am honestly shocked that something like this hadn't happened much sooner
Maybe if we're (un)lucky this will be the start of a new trend.
I'm sorry, bullets aren't covered by my healthcare executive sympathy plan.
"The motive for this murder is currently unknown but based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear the victim was specifically targeted," he told reporters. "But at this point, we do not know why."
We don't?
We can certainly imagine.
I have never had worse "insurance" than when I had United "Healthcare". They have you a big book full of all their "providers", but when you called to make an appointment, you were told they'd left United quite a while back and shouldn't be in the book. A few providers were still in network, but they weren't accepting new patients. Their "provider support" line was completely useless, because they would only read you out the "options" available in the book, the one with all the ghost providers.
My SIL in southern New Jersey ended up with them for some reason. She needed to see an OB/Gyn due to some abnormal bleeding that had been going on for too long. She went through their provider carousel and finally found one provider who was still in network and also still accepting new patients. That provider was 2.5 hours away from her, in the very other end of New Jersey.
I eventually did find one local provider who was in network, except they never did any comprehensive medical visits; you had to visit them for one issue at a time, at least a week apart. They'd give you a prescription or a referral but (once again) you were entirely on your own finding someone to accept the referral. Like there were times I'd make a dozen phone calls a day for weeks, trying to find someone who could see me - it was very much an entire part-time job trying to see someone!
I ended up switching insurance and have ended up 'captured' within a regional hospital's provider network. The hospital bought up a bunch of local independent providers in all the different specialities. I'm really unhappy with the continued corporatization of healthcare and the conglomeration of hospital networks - but the ability to call one number, be given a specialist within reasonable driving distance and (in that same phone call) be given an appointment within a reasonable timeframe is just so refreshing!
I was told by my nexyt door neighbor doctor that they pay doctors such abysmally low rates that no doctor wants to take their patients. It seems like a scheme to collect premiums and not render any care for members. And its one of the largest health care companies in the US.
in the very other end of New Jersey
At least she wasn't in Texas. Might get admitted and still might not get care for that kind of thing.
I ended up switching insurance and have ended up ‘captured’ within a regional hospital’s provider network. The hospital bought up a bunch of local independent providers in all the different specialities. I’m really unhappy with the continued corporatization of healthcare and the conglomeration of hospital networks - but the ability to call one number, be given a specialist within reasonable driving distance and (in that same phone call) be given an appointment within a reasonable timeframe is just so refreshing!
I haven't had to test their reaction to more serious issues, where I've heard they're less good, but I'm covered by Kaiser and I like that in a single visit I can get my regular checkup, get my eyes checked, get new glasses, get bloodwork done, get vaccines, and pickup medicine at the pharmacy. For regular care the only thing that would be better if there wasn't a profit motive involved at all.
A few years ago on a cruise we sat at a table with a doctor who said he was in charge of all United Healthcare insurance approvals. This guy didn't just mention he had to sometimes refuse people care, he was absolutely giddy about it and took sadistic pleasure in seeing other people suffer. We moved to a different table to get away from him.
I guess we'll find out eventually, but I've got to wonder if the shooter was pushed over the edge after someone close to him died due to refusal of care by United Healthcare.
I hope we never find out. Let these fuckers live in fear knowing that dude is still out there.
You should have gotten closer to him, especially while he was leaning over railings.
It can always be off putting how people deal with death.
A doctor has to numb themselves somewhat but like you mention there are those that are too numb.
You need a doctor that is not so affected by the moment, but you also don’t want a sociopath…
Naw, I have worked in EMS. Yeah, there are coping mechanisms that people might find distasteful. Dark humor and all that.
You don't bring it up in conversation with strangers though. That isn't coping, that is reveling.
Where did you get the idea this guy was numb?
CEOs of exploitative corporations should take notice.
edit: the fucking mods are out of line.
For real, Right!?
Serious mod abuse in this thread. Removing a lot of posts that don't actually break any rules.
Like I get that you have to ensure that people follow the rules, but you're waaaaaay overstepping that line.
Edit: seems to have calmed down a few hours after I posted this, now comments aren't getting removed unless they actually break the rules, as far as I can tell.
Mostly. I think the mods just got tired and figured they could delete all the comments once the discussion dies down and people are less likely to notice.
I'm not gonna celebrate or call for violence, but I am going to say I'm definitely not as bothered by this as I am with the constant cop killings and school shootings.
Late stage capitalism is getting to the terminal stage, I think. Well, it did for this CEO, at the least.
Having just had someone I care about go through the American health care system, I get it.
My person went through months of agony and will never be completely the same, for absolutely no reason other than the system trying to squeeze a little more money out.
I would never do this kind of thing. I don't think it's the way. But I get it. More than once I fantasized about burning down the head offices of the insurance company. I just don't think you can kill and hurt vulnerable people at massive scale for profit with your smug little grin, and expect people to ignore it forever, only because there's a set of traditions right now that makes it all legal.
private insurance profits only exist when human beings suffer. they cant both pay all required healthcare services and profit. human beings are required to suffer for their stock price.
theyve done a great job of convincing people that somehow magically their profits are separate from their required payouts, but that is a farce to make those reliant on private insurance feel better about fucking human beings over.
Getting to the find out stage.
Turns out it wasn’t the gunshots that killed him. Insurance declined because he wasn’t covered for that caliber and he wound up dying of infection.
/s
"Profits before People"-style mass murder gunned down. Thoughts and prayers. Bury the company with him.
Deeply ironic that when this news broke I was in an urgent care out of network because I couldn't get an appointment anywhere with my employer provided United Healthcare.
Oh well, anyway.
The motive for this murder is currently unknown, but based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear the victim was specifically targeted," he told reporters. "But at this point, we do not know why." (...) "There had been some threats," [Paulete Thompson, Brian's wife] told NBC News. "Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him."
Try "he was an absolute asshole and the group was making people's lives hell in order to profit" for a reason.
UnitedHealth Group, the parent company, was holding its annual investor conference Wednesday morning in New York City but abruptly ended it due to a "very serious medical situation" with a team member.
The corporation using this fucking bullshit corpospeech for "our CEO was shot" makes me irrationally angry.
Heroic gunman stops mass murderer from continuing his work.
Good.
Edit: To the Downvoters, Lick boots.
Totally read that like:
you eat me to it
Americans pay more for healthcare than any other country in the world. And that healthcare might be good, if you make it through all the barriers first. And you could be dead before that happens. If you even have healthcare after the incoming administration does what they plan on doing.
People are getting fed up and there are only going to be more desperate Americans going forward. Things are not going to get better. Expect more headlines like this in the future.
Be careful talking about legal things that can happen as MODS WILL ERASE YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT IT, and state it is against TOS even though it is not a call for violence, not an attack on users or groups, discrimination against anyone, isn't doxing, has nothing to do with privacy, is not a system disruption, is not illegal content, is not violent content, is not misinformation, nor is it doing harm. JURY NULLIFICATION IS NOT AGAINST TOS nor IS saying TEMPORARY INSANITY PLEA against TOS. IF MODS DO DELETE this please tell me which part of TOS any of this goes against? Edit: jury nullification is : "refusal of a jury to find a defendant guilty even with established guilt, because a conclusion that conviction would be contrary to some other concept of justice." Temporary insanity plea means: the defendant was mentally unstable when the crime took place. None of these endorse violence or are saying what the person did is correct. It is just saying that in this instance the defendant shouldn't be punished for their actions.
What a terrible tragedy, these are incredibly dark times. How will we as a nation, nay, a species, recover? This is a really really bad thing, and I do not like it. What has this poor, poor CEO done to deserve this? God, it should've been me! It should've been me!
Unfortunately, rather than distribute his pay and bonuses and benefits in order to provide a living wage for hospital staff, the rest of the upper management will have a benefits-cutting contest to decide which one of their own to elevate.
Healthcare is a human right. Socialized medicine is cheaper than our current system, gives more people access, and prevents incidents like this.
But the reality price they'll arrange is like $800, all covered by the copay, and the tipster will end up with $14,000 of surprise bills over the next 14 months to cover the administrative cost of paying him off.
Instructions unclear. Sending $5 tip to person in image.
Wonder if he was doing something genuinely good with his day or if he was on his way to a presentation with investors where they can gameplan new ways to capitalize on human suffering.
Shame, we'll never know.
Per NPR, an annual investor's conference for their parent company was scheduled to start this morning - https://www.npr.org/2024/12/04/nx-s1-5215881/brian-thompson-unitedhealthcare-ceo-shot-new-york
"A person familiar with the matter told CNBC that the suspect was wearing a black hoodie and black pants and was carrying a gray backpack. It’s believed the suspect used a firearm with a silencer." So this was a hit? I'll grant that a lot of people might have wanted to take this guy out, but the real question is who was so motivated as to make it happen?
First reported in NY Post: https://nypost.com/2024/12/04/us-news/ceo-of-unitedhealthcare-fatally-shot-outside-of-hilton-hotel-in-nyc-in-possible-targeted-attack-sources/
but the real question is who was so motivated as to make it happen?
Anyone who has been denied necessary healthcare by UHC or anyone who's loved one died because they were denied necessary healthcare by UHC would have a motive.
Died, disabled, or went through other unnecessary, avoidable pain and suffering. It's... quite a pool of candidates.
It sounds like he was receiving regular death threats and considered it par for the course.
but the real question is who was so motivated as to make it happen
Well there are 330+ million people on the United States so…
Yes, but not all of them use UnitedHealth.
suspect was wearing a black hoodie and black pants
Me: Nope, never seem anyone like that before...
Officer: What about the guy in this picture wearing a black hoodie and pants that you appear to be staring at in this security video?
Me: Yeah... doesn't sound familiar.
Officer: Sir, that was 5 minutes ago...
Officer, I'm sorry, after re-examining the picture I am now sure I have seen that man multiple times.
Once a week for almost my entire life on Sunday's, and one time when I got tired walking on the beach he gave me a piggy back ride.
The only people who don't hate the US insurance industry are a) those who benefit financially from it and b) those who haven't been fucked over by it yet. Granted there are a lot of people in group b but all of them will eventually leave it.
So you're saying they have a very limited pool of potential suspects?
I'd be okay with them never finding out.
Yah know, in this modern world there are so many things that are immediately knowable, and yet even looking up something knowable takes time. I encourage people to rest comfortably in those tiny moments of unknowing, for the time during which they last. Savor the mystery.
A loss I will not mourn. I also extend no sympathy to his family. This man engaged in some of the most evil activity humanity has ever perpetrated—profiting on human suffering.
Looks like they'll be sending him back to the people, in a bodybag.
This bit of news does not bother me at all. I wonder if this will become a trend now