The horrific assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a New York City street has sent ripples beyond the halls of the health industry. As the arresting details of the investigation unfold like an episode of CSI, a more disturbing undercurrent of this case now holds our attention: the unsettling wave of public sentiment that seems to view this act as somehow justified.
As communication leaders and health executives, we must confront an uncomfortable truth: A significant segment of the American public harbors deep-seated resentment and frustration toward us. Some view Thompson’s murder with a sense of bizarre satisfaction, a stark indicator of how broken the relationship is between those who seek healing and the entities that are pledged to heal.
Despite its role in driving unmatched technological and scientific advancements and its world-class roster of skilled and dedicated professionals, the American health ecosystem is increasingly frustrating for patients who are constantly challenged to access and pay for care. A 2022 KFF survey revealed that 41 percent of Americans carry some form of healthcare debt. This statistic paints a grim picture of household pocketbooks emptied because of poor coverage and high costs.
That’s only the tip of the iceberg. Even those with private and employer-sponsored insurance face a labyrinth of frustrations. High premiums strain household budgets, pushing some into medical poverty. Costly co-payments discourage those who need it from seeking preventive care. Confusing coverage rulings, such as step-through therapy or non-medical switching, are deeply frustrating and leave many who need medications in limbo. Seemingly arbitrary denials of care, which are devastating to cope with when fighting serious illness, provide life’s most stressful moments.
The outcome? There’s a growing body of consumers who feel they’ve been abandoned by a system meant to protect them, a system that they pay a significant amount of every paycheck to support, that will not support them when needed. The contract, in their experience, has been broken. When coverage denials arise and bills pile up, people with illnesses often find themselves at the mercy of collection agencies, adding frightening financial insult to physical injury and illness.
A public cry for systemic change
The view of the shooter as a folk hero reflects the public’s deep frustration with a system that makes managing care, accessing services and understanding payment obligations needlessly complex. This is leading to a significant shift in public opinion; a recent Gallup poll indicates a substantial upswing in support for government-insured universal health coverage, which suggests that Americans have an appetite for a radical overhaul of our health system. The industry must recognize that public outcry is kindling fires that fuel changes in public policy.
In the health industry, we often claim that the patient is at the center of care; that naïve Band-Aid should be ripped off. The public reaction to Thompson’s death provides us with an essential opportunity to recognize that we have lost the trust of many of the people we supposedly serve. It must be a catalyst for health companies—innovators and insurers—to reassess their approach to patient care and public trust.
Profitability and service to the patient aren’t two separate outcomes. Investing in interventional care and providing that care are also inextricably intertwined. There are several key recommendations the industry should consider at this moment:
Prioritize transparency: Simplify policy language and coverage explanations, which currently make it difficult for patients to understand their insurance and impossible to make decisions about their care. They feel the ground is shifting under their feet, so make it clear what is covered and why specific treatments might be denied.
Enhance the customer experience: Invest in solid support systems that guide patients through the complexities of their care options. How can apparel chains like Nordstrom have better customer service than the health industry? Shouldn’t our bodies be entitled to a level of customer service that is at least the equivalent to that of the companies that clothe us? Insurance companies must recognize that customer service is one of the most important parts of their business and not an afterthought.
Embrace preventive care: Our system prioritizes sick care over healthcare. To promote better health—while helping to keep insurance company and patient costs lower—it’s time to shift focus from stressful reactive treatment to supporting proactive health management. This can improve patient outcomes, keep people from suffering from progressive illnesses and reduce long-term costs.
Advocate for systemic reform: Health is not a partisan issue, and the industry must work proactively with patients and policymakers to address the root causes of health inequality and inaccessibility. We can make social impact an integral part of our business models and channel a percentage of profit to address health equity challenges that cost the most vulnerable right now and will cost the industry and taxpayers significantly further down the road.
Humanize the industry: Communications is part of the cure, and health companies, particularly insurance companies, can and must do better when sharing information and narratives with patients. We must share stories—within HIPPA guidelines—of how lives can be improved and saved, and we must do so regularly, not only when the industry’s reputation is threatened. Take the time to speak to patients, communicate how things work and build trust.
Communication as a bridge to trust
As communication professionals, we have a crucial role in this transformation. Our task must not simply be about defending reputations. We are responsible for facilitating a dialogue between health providers and the public they serve.
To do this, we must craft narratives that emphasize the human element of healthcare and facilitate forums for patients to voice their concerns and to be heard to foster fruitful discussion. Our communications expertise should not simply be leveraged to highlight initiatives that demonstrate a company’s commitment to putting patients first; it must be employed to educate the public on how to navigate the complexities of health delivery, to advocate for simplification of communications and to executive information campaigns that help patients to access the care they must have.
A new vision for the American health system
Brian Thompson’s murder is a tragedy that should never have occurred. There’s no justification for violence. At the same time, we must not let this moment pass without reflection and action.
It’s time for the health industry to recommit to its core mission: to prevent illness and to heal. This commitment must be more than a PR strategy. It must be the driving force behind every policy, every customer interaction and every decision. By placing people at the center of our efforts, we demonstrate that the US health system’s primary interest is in the well-being of those it serves.
The path ahead is challenging; we must walk it together—industry leaders, health providers, life science innovators, policymakers and patients alike. As we move forward, we in the industry must note that healing extends beyond the physical; it encompasses the restoration of faith in a system that has the great potential to protect and nurture all Americans, regardless of their location and bank account size—one that inspires confidence rather than despair and rage.
It’s time for the industry to lead by example, to show through deeds that the health and trust of the American people are its most valuable assets. Only through collective effort and a shared vision centered on ensuring “medicine is for the people” can we achieve that long-awaited transformation. Thompson’s tragic death—and his family’s enduring pain—must be a catalyst for that transformation. It’s not about saving face; it’s about saving lives and restoring the soul of the American health system.
