The Naked Truth/Jamala Rogers
The Shot Across the Bow
The bodacious attack happened at the crack of dawn — obviously premeditated and well-planned. The murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson went down on a public sidewalk in front of an upscale Manhattan hotel. Ironically, Thompson was on his way to speak at his corporation’s investor conference. While the manhunt for the killer intensifies, so does the public vitriol for what I call, the U.S. Unwell System.
I think most people would not say they are celebrating Thompson’s death, but they will admit it has a karmic tone to it. The internet immediately came alive with personal stories of interactions with the infamous insurance industry. An industry that rakes in $4.5 trillion on the backs of its vulnerable customers. UHC is not only the insurance kingpin in this country, but it also dominates the global insurance market.
Thompson’s ambush has thrown the healthcare system on its ugly underbelly to reveal its greedy and insensitive policies when it comes to caring for this nation’s unhealthy and critically ill citizens. Citizens who are locked in a conspiratorial maze manipulated by the medical industrial complex and its parasites.
The investigation as to the motive of the perpetrator seems to be pretty clear to most. Left at the murder scene were three marked bullet casings. They left no doubt as to the motive. The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were reportedly written on the casings. These seemingly harmless words are part of the title from a book written almost 15 years ago by Rutgers University law professor Jay Feinman. Delay Deny Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It is a long title but long is the history of the unfair claim practices. Practices that have resulted in financial ruin and even preventable deaths.
Instead of meeting to see how to revamp the industry and make it more humane and equitable, industry cronies went on the defense. They convened to discuss heightened security measures for their CEOs and other prominent shareholders. This included snatching photos and bios from websites of said potential targets. They are trying to make themselves invisible when the suffering they create is brutally and unmistakably obvious.
The healthcare industry only puts a price on the insurance premiums paid out by millions each month who think their legitimate claims will be honored when needed. They are unaware of the games played by their insurers until they are in a medical crisis. UHC has an estimated net worth of $550 billion because it leads the industry in claim denials. There has got to be some criminality laden in this practice. We cannot let them go underground until the heat blows over. They must be held accountable.
The victims of the health insurance industry are often seen as having little value, even in death. Brian Thompson was worth $43 million at the time of his death. This outrageous gap is not just a national crisis, it is truly a national tragedy.
