Following the broad daylight murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Americans are beginning to evaluate their health insurance with a new eye -- no longer taking for granted that they should be allowed to deny coverage or force complex levels of approvals for coverage they're entitled to.
One primary care physician recently spoke out about the relationship that doctors have with insurance companies, telling NewsNation that it’s only getting worse.
Another report from the Wall Street Journal found similar sentiments from physicians, all who say health insurance companies is fracturing.
Dr. Saju Mathew, a physician who has practiced for 20 years, shared with NewsNation that insurance companies are becoming increasingly brash in their blocking of medical procedures with a complex “prior authorization” process.
“We as doctors have been crying, screaming on the top of our lungs regarding how lots of insurance companies are denying claims on a daily basis,” Mathew said.
The doctor went on to share examples of patients not being able to afford tests that are considered routine, like mammograms, without going through several hurdles.
In the wake of Thompson’s murder, many have flocked online to support the alleged gunman, Luigi Mangione, 26, with some calling his actions justified over their frustrations with the health insurance system.
The New York Times reported that there has also been a wave of online frustration that’s come out about the health insurance industry, with many voicing their support for the gunman on social media.
Earlier this week, Audacy reported on the merchandise that has started to pop up online, emulating and supporting Mangione, including T-shirts, hoodies, coffee mugs, Christmas ornaments, koozies, and more.
As for the insurance world, Mathew claimed during his interview that UnitedHealthcare denies one in three claims, padding their pockets at the expense of the insured, an issue he says spreads throughout the industry.
“But it’s just not UnitedHealthcare. It’s really all insurance companies,” he said.
According to company filings, UnitedHealthcare brought in $281 billion in revenue last year.
When it comes to what Mathew thinks could help solve the ongoing problems, he thinks only congressional action would make any meaningful change. He says legislators need to mandate transparency about insurance denial rates and restore medical decision-making power to physicians and patients.
“No. 1, we should be able to make sure that people understand which insurance companies have the highest denial rate,” Mathew said.
The cost of medical care and health insurance has been in the spotlight in recent years following the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the KFF’s 2024 employer health survey, family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose 7% this year, pricing subscribers at $25,572. While employers pick up the majority of that price point, employees are still responsible for more than $6,200 on average.
A survey from the Commonwealth Fund — a health-care-focused think tank — found that 1 in 4 adults with health coverage struggle with high out-of-pocket costs.