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.
I think you’re misreading this sentence: I think it’s clearly implying public outrage surrounding US health insurance, not about the killing itself. “The killing has sparked public outrage and dark humor on social media” pretty clearly implies to me that they mean the public outrage associated with the dark humor.