UnitedHealthcare, whose chief executive Brian Thompson was gunned down in Manhattan Wednesday, has come under scrutiny for its high rate of claim denials in recent years. While the motive for the shooting remains under investigation, NYPD officials say the attack was "targeted" and "premeditated." The Associated Press reported that law enforcement found messages on the ammunition the gunman used — "deny," "defend," and "depose" — which may be referring to tactics the insurance industry uses to avoid paying claims. The company dismissed about one in every three claims in 2023 — the most of any major insurer. That's twice the industry average of 16%, according to data from ValuePenguin, a consumer research site owned by LendingTree that specializes in insurance. The group's analysis is based on in-network claims data from CMS.
