Verity Healthcare

An individual of curiosity has been arrested in reference to the homicide of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, the New York Police Division stated the afternoon of Dec. 9.

5 notes:

1. On Dec. 9, native authorities in Altoona, Penn., arrested 26-year-old Luigi Mangione on firearms fees. In accordance with the NYPD, he’s believed to be the particular person of curiosity within the homicide that occurred Dec. 4 in midtown Manhattan.

The suspect was carrying a number of fraudulent IDs, together with clothes and weapons in line with the homicide. Moreover, officers recovered a handwritten doc relating to his motivation and mindset. A motive has not but been launched, however the phrases “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” have been written on shell casings discovered on the crime scene.

2. “Our hope is that immediately’s apprehension brings some aid to Brian’s household, pals, colleagues and the numerous others affected by this unspeakable tragedy,” UnitedHealthcare informed The New York Occasions. “We thank regulation enforcement and can proceed to work with them on this investigation. We ask that everybody respect the household’s privateness as they mourn.”

3. The killing of the CEO of the nation’s largest insurer has sparked a firestorm of on-line hostility towards the medical health insurance trade extra broadly. People took to social media to share their experiences with delayed and denied care. One federal lawmaker described the state of affairs as unjustified however not shocking, whereas one other stated the anger must be directed towards Congress.

4. In an inner video message to workers Dec. 6, UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty addressed the deadly taking pictures.

“I am certain everyone has been disturbed by the damaging and in lots of instances vitriolic media and commentary that has been produced over the previous few days, notably within the social media atmosphere,” Mr. Witty stated. “There are only a few folks within the historical past of the U.S. healthcare trade who had a much bigger optimistic impact on American healthcare than Brian.”

5. Michael Tuffin, CEO of AHIP, the commerce affiliation representing well being insurers, wrote in a LinkedIn put up that the affiliation condemns “any suggestion that threats in opposition to our colleagues — or anybody else in our nation — are ever acceptable.”

Insurers have rapidly tightened safety round their executives, canceling conferences or shifting them to digital codecs, quickly closing places of work and eradicating biographical data on-line.