On November 28, 2024, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in a shocking daylight attack in Manhattan. The 50-year-old executive was walking toward his company’s annual investor conference when he was gunned down in what the NYPD called a “targeted, preplanned” assassination.

While the motive remains unclear, the aftermath of his death has revealed a wave of anger, mistrust, and bitterness toward the American healthcare system. A system many believe Thompson epitomized.

The shooting, brazen and chilling, has left investigators scrambling. Surveillance footage showed the suspect lurking in a nearby Starbucks just before the attack. NYPD officials suggested the killer might have dropped key clues while fleeing.

Brian Thompson was Part of a Broken System

When Brian Thompson’s death made headlines, the reactions were startling. Instead of sympathy, social media lit up with dark humor and scathing criticism of UnitedHealthcare. Americans shared stories of claim denials, financial ruin, and medical care withheld in their greatest time of need.

For many, Thompson was the face of a system that profits from pain and treats lives like balance sheet entries.

GTN / While no arrests have been made, one thing is clear: Thompson’s murder has struck a nerve in a country where healthcare corporations are seen as symbols of greed, dysfunction, and unaccountable power.

Under Thompson’s leadership, UnitedHealthcare amassed staggering wealth, generating $281 billion in revenue last year alone. But that success came at a cost. The company has faced allegations of systematically denying claims, including the use of an artificial intelligence system that wrongfully blocked necessary care for elderly patients.

According to a lawsuit, the AI tool denied claims with a 90% error rate, banking on the assumption that most people wouldn’t appeal. This practice, critics argue, is the very definition of a 'morally bankrupt' system.

The Healthcare System is Failing Its People

The irony of Brian Thompson’s death lies in what followed. After being shot, he was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital. A facility his company had removed from its insurance network just months earlier. Thousands of patients had been left scrambling to find alternative care, a stark reminder of the labyrinthine complexity of American healthcare.

Even in his final moments, Thompson couldn’t escape the very system his company had shaped.

Public outrage over his death is not just about one company. It’s about the collapse of trust in the entire healthcare system. A recent survey revealed that 75% of Americans view the system as broken. For many, it is not hard to see why: Half a million families file for bankruptcy each year due to medical bills, and nearly half of Americans now avoid necessary care because they simply can’t afford it.

Why Americans Are Angry?

What makes the public’s reaction to Brian Thompson’s murder so visceral? It is the unshakable belief that healthcare in America is rigged. Families are bankrupted by surprise medical bills. Life-saving treatments are delayed or denied.

Meanwhile, companies like UnitedHealthcare rake in billions by exploiting loopholes and denying coverage.

BBC / For many, Brian Thompson represented a system that thrives on suffering. The AI scandal is just one example.

Imagine being told you can’t stay in a care facility because an algorithm decided you didn’t need it. Real doctors’ opinions were overridden, families were forced to deplete their savings, and elderly patients were prematurely discharged - all to save the company money.

Every year, 500,000 families lose everything to medical debt. For those who can’t pay, the consequences are often catastrophic: untreated illnesses, unnecessary deaths, and generational poverty. And for those who can pay, the costs are crippling. Americans routinely skip doctor visits, forego prescriptions, and suffer silently because they can not afford to get well.