On the morning of December 4th, 2024 United Healthcare C.E.O, Brian Thompson was fatally shot by an unidentified gunman now suspected to be 26 year old Luigi Mangione. On scene, investigators discovered the mantra “Deny, Delay, and Dispose” etched into the ammunition used during the attack. The phrase, closely associated with Jay Feinmens novel “Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies don’t pay claims and what you can do about it.” sparked interest among crowds as citizens pondered the line between blatant violence and radical protest. While the justice system has deliberately sided with the former, citizens remain undecided as to whether the attack was a ‘necessary evil.’
History teacher, Mr. Horton believes the assault was a personal attack that failed to initiate any reform due to a variety of technical and moral factors: “It seems to me that someone with major issues with the healthcare system, had some sort of mental health breakdown and thought he could destroy the system by destroying one small cognate.”
Horton referenced that personal or family-wide disputes with the healthcare system may have left Luigi vulnerable to his drastic actions. “If you go through an experience where you’re in unbearable pain or if a family member experiences that, and you feel no agency is offering help, it’s not a far reach to say that could make somebody snap.”
Based on the ammunition left at the scene, Horton speculated the role of a ‘Messiah complex’ or ‘hero’ complex, in which an individual feels they are ‘destined to save others’: “It’s possible he was introduced to the book during a vulnerable time and decided kinda ‘I’ll do something about this if nobody else will.”
So, why did Luigi’s plan fail?
“Violence is Never the Answer:”
Horton notes that while violence can be used to bring awareness, its efficiency as a means of change often has more consequences than benefits. “[When violence is used] I don’t think the things that change or the way things change are always in the direction that people hoped for, I think there’s a lot of unintended consequences in violence.” Allied Health teacher Sara Brewer shared a similar sentiment: “I think you can get a major reaction from the [incident] but Americans are stubborn and strong willed, when you tell us not to do something we want to do the opposite.” Brewers take suggests that Luigi’s plan may even backfire causing Americans to band together during a time of uncertainty.
“Too Big to Beat:”
While the United States healthcare system offers both public and private coverage, gaining financial support remains a nationwide dilemma for many. Non-profit organizations are often limited in funding, and government issued support can be restrictive in the range of procedures that receive coverage. For many, private insurers are the sole source of coverage. While these companies may cover a diverse range of issues, a focus on profit, encourages price gouging. While the United States may cater to their varying socioeconomic classes, the multi-payer system is optimized for stakeholders and difficult to navigate, leaving Americans scattering for coverage.
Horton explained that Luigi’s attack failed to impact America’s healthcare strategy largely due to the numerous stakeholders invested in its success and the sheer scale of the industry. “The fact that there is not a universal single payer healthcare system in the U.S is a travesty and at some point when the only point of healthcare is to profit the system is broken [but] with all the people who have a stake it’s impossible to change.”
What Can we Take Away?
Brewer believes that while tragic, Luigi’s attack showcases a need for America to reevaluate their system. “I definitely don’t wanna see people follow suit with how he chose to deal with it but I also think it highlights the need for more mental healthcare in the United States. People are getting tired of not getting what they need whether that’s medication, or therapy, or a physician.”
Horton reaffirmed the need for change as well, offering some possible solutions to designing a healthcare system centered around service instead of profit. “[We need] Some form of fair pricing, affordability where it would also encourage research and development from specific drug companies, maybe one thing you could do is split the research with the healthcare services and maybe split those budgets.”
