12/16/2024

Before His Murder, Brian Thompson Worried about UnitedHealth’s Negative Image

He worked his way from an Iowa farm to the top echelons of business

In early 2024, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson had an urgent warning for his colleagues: The company has a public relations problem.

Average Americans did not understand the massive insurance company's role in the nation's health system, Thompson argued in internal discussions and with fellow executives, including steps it had taken to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for lifesaving drugs, colleagues said. Instead, UnitedHealthcare and its parent, UnitedHealth Group, faced investigations, a congressional probe and simmering consumer anger over charges it was making billions by denying health care to the ill and the elderly.

"He understood that the public was frustrated with what they perceived the company's actions to be," according to one person who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private business conversations. "He was actively articulating a vision that helped better educate and help people better understand what the company is doing."

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.