Brian Thompson tragedy: Does it reflect deeper issues in healthcare systems worldwide?

Without a doubt the US healthcare systems puts PROFIT over people and has for years. UHC carries the highest denial rate of insurance companies in the US--one in three!!! Its disgusting the monies these conglomerations make while letting hard working Americans pay thousands into the system and deny their medical needs/claims. Something HAS to give and hopefully/unfortunately with this particular killing, and a new Administration coming in, changes will happen. The system is HORRIBLY fractured, and people are dying while top executives continue to get filthy rich at the patience expense.

BostonGlobe.com;

UnitedHealthcare, whose chief executive Brian Thompson was gunned down in Manhattan Wednesday, has come under scrutiny for its high rate of claim denials in recent years.

While the motive for the shooting remains under investigation, NYPD officials say the attack was “targeted” and “premeditated.” The Associated Press reported that law enforcement found messages on the ammunition the gunman used — “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” — which may be referring to tactics the insurance industry uses to avoid paying claims. The company dismissed about one in every three claims in 2023 — the most of any major insurer. That’s twice the industry average of 16 percent, according to data from ValuePenguin, a consumer research site owned by LendingTree that specializes in insurance. The group’s analysis is based on in-network claims data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “UnitedHealthcare has always been close to the top,” for denial rates, said Divya Sangameshwar, an insurance expert at ValuePenguin. “You see a lot of these anguished messages [from patients] all over.” Related New clues emerge as investigators hunt for the gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO How big is UnitedHealthcare’s presence in Massachusetts? Police search for UnitedHealthcare CEO’s masked killer after ‘brazen, targeted’ attack on NYC street RELATED: What to know about Brian Thompson, the UnitedHealthcare CEO shot to death in NYC The reasons for denying an insurance claim are often complicated and cryptic to consumers, Sangameshwar added. In a lot of cases, doctors can recommend treatment for patients, but the insurer can determine that the treatment falls outside its coverage area and refuse to pay. UnitedHealthcare has long drawn scrutiny for rejecting claims. A Senate panel slammed health insurers for refusing to cover care for elderly people who have suffered falls or strokes. UnitedHealthcare featured prominently in that report. “My heart goes out to people who have a medical issue and find out their health insurance is inadequate,” Sangameshwar said.

The Pareto Principle covers everything on the planet; and, insurance companies, of all types, know it and profit from it.

They operate under the ten D "SOP".

First they disallow; then, they deny, deny, deny, deny, while waiting for the claimant to die. If the insured does not cooperate and sues, they disavow any knowledge of why they are the victim of a law suit.

After that they defend, defend, defend; all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary.

The Pareto Principle covers everything on the planet; and, insurance companies, of all types, know it and profit from it.

They operate under the ten D "SOP".

First they disallow; then, they deny, deny, deny, deny, while waiting for the claimant to die. If the insured does not cooperate and sues, they disavow any knowledge of why they are the victim of a law suit.

After that they defend, defend, defend; all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary.

The NHS should be fully funded by the government. There has been a not so subtle PR campaign going these last few years to get more people using private. Health care and it seems to be working. What do these people think will happen to their 'Affordable costs ' if the NHS is crippled and private companies take over the running . I know when I was working ( now retired ) my employers introduced a private health scheme which was free for us to use . I refused to allow my name to be put into it and surprise suprise the next year there was a charge per month taken from the wages and people found out over the years treatment was only given so many times for the same problem, and even one woman had a bad reaction to an operation and was transferred to an NHS hospital for life saving treatment as the private hospital couldn't do what was needed to save her life.

No NHS belongs to us no privatising from others it has nothing to do with any other country if you have only just come into our country then they should pay for treatment we have worked all our lives to use the NHS