Episode Details

First, let me state this for the record so no one can try to manipulate my words. The murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is nothing short of an act of murder. I condemn the act and hope the perpetrator is apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, left to the justice meted out by a jury of his peers.

I also extend my sincere condolences to Mr. Thompson’s family and close friends.

That said, it would be wise to examine the possible motives that spurred the shooter to engage in murder, in the taking of another human being’s life.

The security camera footage of the shooting is chilling, even in a world where violence is over-glorified in the entertainment industries. The shooter, calculated and cold in his simplicity, stalked Thompson and very simply pulled the trigger…three times.

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Investigators have discovered that etched onto the bullet casings found at the murder scene were the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose.” These words are eerily similar to the title of the book, Delay, Deny, Defend, which discusses why “insurance companies don’t pay claims and what you can do about it.”

The book is a critical examination of the insurance industry in the United States, delving into how insurance companies often operate through strategies encapsulated by its title:

Insurers often use delaying tactics to slow the claims process, hoping claimants will give up or settle for less. When that doesn’t work, they often reject claims (even valid ones) by finding any reason not to pay out. And if those two tactics don’t work, many, if not most, insurers will proceed to litigation, aggressively defending and leveraging their resources to outlast or outspend the policyholder.

The book’s author uses numerous examples and case studies to illustrate these practices, highlighting how they affect individuals and the broader economy and society. He argues that these strategies prioritize profit over policyholder welfare, often at the expense of those who have paid for coverage expecting protection in times of need. The book also explores regulatory failures and suggests reforms to make the insurance industry more equitable and consumer-friendly.

So, it is reasonable to speculate that the shooter was adversely affected by the health insurance industry and decided, like the character Howard Beale in the movie Network, that he was mad as hell and wasn’t going to take it anymore.

Of course, that wouldn’t rationalize an act of murder, and it certainly doesn’t excuse it. But who hasn’t had a run-in with a health insurance company and ended up enraged and disgusted? At every turn, there seems to be a loophole or fine-print caveat that excludes what an insured patient needs or saddles him or her with co-pays that are just about as expensive as paying out-of-pocket.

Then there is the unholy alliance between the health insurance industry and BigPharma.

Insurance companies influence drug costs through their formulary, a list of insurance-covered medications. BigPharma often colludes with insurers to ensure their drugs are included in these formularies through financial incentives or exclusive deals, which usually aren’t in the best interest of patients or based on the drug's effectiveness.

Further, there have been legal actions regarding price-fixing and collusion in drug pricing, where insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies agree on pricing strategies that limit competition and keep prices artificially high.

For example. The average price for a 30-day supply (60 tablets) of the anticoagulant medication Eliquis is approximately $185 in