UnitedHealth Group’s CEO slammed medical insurance trade critics on social media as “vitriolic” and “not in tune with actuality” as it’s battered by anger within the wake of insurance coverage CEO Brian Thompson’s homicide.
Andrew Witty, Thompson’s boss, didn’t make the feedback to the general public however in a non-public video to firm employees. He has not spoken publicly for the reason that assassination-style homicide exterior a Manhattan resort early Wednesday morning.
Independent journalist Ken Klippenstein initially posted a shortened clip of Witty’s feedback to his Substack amid an avalanche of individuals attacking the medical insurance trade on social platforms. He adopted up with the complete virtually three-minute lengthy tackle Witty gave to employees at UnitedHealth.
Witty, clearly studying from a script and dressed casually, defended his trade in opposition to accusations it refuses folks important protection saying “we guard in opposition to the pressures that exist for unsafe care or pointless care.”
His prolonged grievance began by claiming the corporate places “sufferers, customers and members first, as we all the time have achieved,” claiming its mission was to enhance their expertise–and that Thompson left a legacy of doing that.
“I’ve by no means been extra pleased with this firm and our colleagues and what this firm does on behalf of individuals in want throughout this nation,” he mentioned.
He urged them to “tune out that essential noise that we’re listening to proper now,” including, “It doesn’t replicate actuality. It is just an indication of an period through which we dwell.
“What we should know is concentrate on what we all know to be true. And what we all know to be true is that we’d like an organization like UnitedHealth Group and it wants folks like Brian inside it.”
Witty, a British former pharma government who is named Sir Andrew Witty within the UK after being given a knighthood by the late Queen Elizabeth, is going through a Department of Justice probe into insider buying and selling allegations. His final totally calculated compensation package deal in 2023 was $25 million. The firm denies wrongdoing.
“I’d like to offer you a bit of bit of recommendation across the media,” mentioned Witty. “My sturdy recommendation and request to everyone is simply don’t have interaction with the media. If you’re approached, I’d advocate not responding and, if essential, merely refer them to our personal media group.”
Witty added, “You’ve seen a number of media curiosity on this state of affairs with an enormous quantity of misinformation and admittedly offensive communication,” calling the protection “aggressive, inappropriate and disrespectful.”
Representatives for UnitedHealth Group and its medical insurance division, UnitedHealthcare—which Thompson led—didn’t instantly reply to a Daily Beast request for touch upon the leaked video.
On the heels of Thompson’s loss of life and the following hunt for his murderer, the corporate eliminated his bio from a web page that when listed UnitedHealth’s management. Now it goes to a damaged hyperlink.
Thompson was shot useless exterior the Hilton resort in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday. He was on account of tackle an traders’ convention for his firm, which is likely one of the largest well being insurers on this planet. The killer, who specialists have advised is just not knowledgeable hitman, fled on an electrical bike and stays at giant.
The brazen act of violence and the following manhunt have gripped nationwide consideration over the previous few days.
Police revealed Friday that they consider the suspect, who was reportedly staying at a hostel on the Upper West Side earlier than the assault, has fled town.
While the shooter’s motive stays unknown, police recovered bullet casings with the phrases “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” inscribed on them. The phrases are a close to match for an insurance coverage trade adage—“delay, deny, defend”—about find out how to keep away from having to pay out on claims.
The killing has stoked dialogue of medical insurance trade practices—particularly round UnitedHealthcare’s personal historical past of denying sufferers’ medical claims.
Some on-line reactions to the capturing have mocked or celebrated the manager’s slaying—in a single since-removed fashionable Reddit thread, a consumer glibly satirized Thompson’s loss of life in a fake insurance coverage declare rejection.
“If you want to attraction the deadly gunshot, please name 1-800-555-1234 with case # 123456789P to provoke a peer to look inside 48 hours of the deadly gunshot,” the consumer wrote.
