UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot

[89th]

I also wonder, if he kept the gun because he was researching who his next CEO victim might be. I know he was on his laptop in the McDonalds when they approached. All speculation of course.

[jon-nyc]

If that’s me at the McDonald’s, I’d be looking to see what the cops know so I can continue to evade them.

[jon-nyc]

By the way, speaking of computers, what’s it like for someone his age who doesn’t remember a day when he didn’t have internet access to suddenly be in prison without his laptop and phone?

[Doctor Phibes]

@89th said in UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot:

I also wonder, if he kept the gun because he was researching who his next CEO victim might be. I know he was on his laptop in the McDonalds when they approached. All speculation of course.

Maybe he was researching how old you need to be to no longer qualify for a Happy Meal, or how to work the over-complicated drinks machine.

It doesn't really matter. He's just another guy who thinks he can make a difference by killing somebody. Obviously, the only difference he's really made is to the family of the dead CEO.

[LuFins Dad]

Was Donald working a shift when the guy was arrested?

[Doctor Phibes]

@LuFins-Dad said in UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot:

Was Donald working a shift when the guy was arrested?

He was cleaning out the bathrooms at the time otherwise he'd have taken him out single-handed.

[jon-nyc]

Anyone seen any reporting on how old his sons are?

[89th]

The CEO? I know one goes to the high school here, I think the other one is probably in middle school? Not sure.

[jon-nyc]

[George K]

What a horrible harpy she is.

[Aqua Letifer]

@Mik said in UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot:

I get his position. It is informed by a situation much worse than most people ever deal with, but we’ve dealt with similar runarounds - a different and contradictory story every time you talk to them. It’s incredibly frustrating even when it’s relatively minor health issues. Couple extreme suffering with it and one can understand his anger. Still, not how he expressed it. This kid had a top education and could have chosen to fight within the law.

My thoughts as well.

@George-K You saw Glaucomflecken's, right?

Link to video

[89th]

[Mik]

He's right, of course. I have to say I've had United at different times and never had any issues, although when I had to use their mail order pharmacy it was pretty bad. I have United now for my Medicare supplementary with no issues over 4 years, but I haven't done anything particularly unusual. But I know a lot of people who have Medicare Advantage coverage (read HMO/PPO) who have had, including my brother who had to fight for his needed treatments.

In the case of the shooter, his mother had to jump through a lot of hoops to get treatments, yes, but it appears that none of them worked very well. Was she denied treatment that would have been effective? No idea. Still, it is possible to have a medical condition there is no effective treatment for. This is not the fault of the insurer. It is difficult to get research funding for diseases that affect 1 in 100,000 people.

If what he says about UHC denying claims and paying for those denials is correct, that should be looked at very carefully. But the other things involved should be looked at too, mostly who is their patient population and what coverage do they have? Do they offer inexpensive catastrophic coverage only plans that do not cover routine healthcare? There's a lot of variety out there. It's not enough to just point at UHC and say they are bad.

[LuFins Dad]

There really is two sides to every story. While I wholeheartedly agree that our current insurance system is busted, I hardy believe these caricatures of evil insurance executives living large off the pain and suffering of their clients. It is far more complex than the cartoonish image of the monopoly man with bags of cash…

I have UHC. I am constantly battling a stupid issue where our in network PCP claims are denied because the billing goes through a 3rd party and it confuses them. Nobody in the system that we can reach can make a notation for it, so we go through the same rigamarole every time. That’s not greed, that’s ineptitude and inefficiency.

That’s far more common and far more damaging than greed.

[Aqua Letifer]

@LuFins-Dad said in UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot:

There really is two sides to every story. While I wholeheartedly agree that our current insurance system is busted, I hardy believe these caricatures of evil insurance executives living large off the pain and suffering of their clients. It is far more complex than the cartoonish image of the monopoly man with bags of cash…

Of course it's more complex than mobthink. Isn't that obvious? Everything always is.

[George K]

Dreamy...

[jon-nyc]

@Horace said in UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot:

Just as a statement of practical effect, I think his act will move the conversation and concentrate the public's attention, in ways he wanted.

None of these people are wackos who celebrated the shooting. But they’re talking about this now.

[jon-nyc]

Another example. Paywalled, but you get the point.

[Doctor Phibes]

[jon-nyc]

It could still fizzle out in a few days.

But I suspect the trial will keep interest alive, especially if he decides to become a martyr and yell a lot in the courtroom.