From a High-Schooler, or Dare I say "Future Criminal Investigator's" Perspective: The United Health Care CEO Case

By: Nicole Russo

The shocking murder of UnitedHealth CEO Bian Thompson sent the world into paralysis and began the spark of many questions surrounding the safety of public figures and the corruption that goes on behind closed doors in the healthcare system. Thompson was shot on December 4, 2024, in front of the New York Hilton Midtown hotel, where he was attending a conference when the murder occurred. Days later, the police arrested 26-year old Luigi Mangione, who now faces murder charges. 

The incident has brought in a multi-layered and, in ways, perturbing debate. While a number of people indeed have expressed their condolences and shared concern, scores of people went to social media expressing sentiments from utter indifference as regards the crime, all the way to approval for the crime itself. These seem to come from deep-seated frustrations with the American healthcare system in general, but also insurance companies like UnitedHealthcare in particular.

Such feelings spill over to reveal an international issue: discontent with how health care has been administered and financed in America has grown rapidly for years. For far too long, patients and providers have lectured insurance companies about policies that seem to put profits over patient care. Denials, administrative obstacles, and rising costs have left them feeling bewildered and powerless. In this regard, he became the rallying point of the complaints against one of the largest insurance companies, where Thompson held a senior leadership position.

The reactions that followed Thompson's death are a reminder of how pressing the task is to address these systemic problems that have destroyed American healthcare. We need policymakers, industry leaders, and citizens to work together to help rebuild trust in a system that is designed to actually meet the needs of everyone. Only then will we prevent anger from escalating into violence and ensure tragedies like this are not continuous.

(Levenson, 2025)