Summary
The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has drawn attention due to the phrase “deny, defend, depose” reportedly written on the shooter’s ammunition, echoing criticism of insurer practices like “delay, deny, defend.”
UnitedHealthcare, one of the largest U.S. health insurers, has faced scrutiny over claim denials and delays, including a Senate report highlighting issues with Medicare Advantage prior authorizations.
The killing has sparked public outrage and dark humor on social media, reflecting widespread frustration with health insurers, which many blame for rising healthcare costs and access barriers.
Reading the article, it’s either a poor choice of words on the part of the AP journalist, or a deliberate choice of words to muddy the situation when this inevitably gets compressed into a short reference memory as the news cycle moves on.
What’s described is very much the outrage expressed against insurance practices re: medical care, part of the celebration of this guy’s death.