“Delay” and “Deny” Found on Bullets at UnitedHealthcare CEO’s Murder Scene: What They Could Mean. NEW YORK — Shell casings bearing the inscriptions “Delay” and “Deny” were discovered at the scene of Wednesday’s fatal shooting of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare.
What do the terms signify, though? Mahsa Saeidi, an investigative reporter for CBS News New York, is investigating whether they have any connection to a potential motive.
The slogan “Delay, Deny, Defend” is frequently used in the field.
The shell casings were located by markers after Thompson was killed. According to sources, the bullets were painstakingly written on with a Sharpie.
Officials are investigating the meaning of the words, but the purpose is unknown.
“When I saw that, immediately I thought, oh my God!” John Tolley, the plaintiff’s insurance lawyer, stated.
“Delay, Deny, Defend” is a typical slogan in his field, according to Tolley. It’s the title of a well-known book that criticizes strategies purportedly employed by insurance companies.
According to the author’s 2010 article, insurance firms deny claims, postpone payments, and then defend their positions.
“The insurance’s strategy is essentially laid out in the book. The strategy is to irritate these individuals to the point where, even if they initially make statements like, “I’m not going to take a penny less,” or “I’m not going to stop fighting until I get what I’m supposed to get,” Tolley stated that the insurance company would “make their life hell from the beginning.”
UnitedHealthcare has been under intense scrutiny
UnitedHealthcare Group has been the target of harsh criticism this year. In July, demonstrators at the company’s Minnesota headquarters charged the insurance with routinely rejecting claims.
UnitedHealth Group, which covers over 49 million Americans, was sued by the Department of Justice last month on charges of breaking antitrust laws.
According to a harsh assessment released in October by a U.S. Senate panel, “UnitedHealthcare’s prior authorization denial rate for post-acute care surged from 10.9% in 2020… to 22.7% in 2022.”
As of right now, authorities have not linked those concerns to Thompson’s passing.
In 2021, Thompson was named CEO.
“Being a father of two, obviously watching this happen to this person was just absolutely tragic,” said Tolley. “It’s just a horrible situation all around, and my heart truly bleeds for him and his family.”
