Andrew Witty, CEO of UnitedHealth Group, discusses the death of Brian Thompson

UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty on Friday lamented the death of Brian Thompson, who led the company’s insurance arm, and acknowledged that the U.S. health care system is “broken” and in need of reform.

“We know that the health care system is not working as well as it should, and we understand people’s frustration with it,” Witty wrote in a New York Times opinion piece. “No one would design a system like the one we have. And no one has. It’s a patchwork built over decades.”

“UnitedHealth Group’s mission is to help make it work better,” he said.

“We are ready to collaborate with anyone, as we always have – health care providers, employers, patients, pharmaceutical companies, governments and others – to find ways to provide high quality care and reduce costs,” Witty added.

The New York Times article marks Witty’s first public comments since last week’s fatal shooting of Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the largest private insurer in the United States. UnitedHealth Group is the nation’s largest healthcare conglomerate by revenue. Its market capitalization of nearly $475 billion has declined since Thompson’s death on Dec. 4.

Luigi Mangione, 26, is accused of fatally shooting Thompson outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan as the CEO was on his way to UnitedHealth Group’s investor day. Investigators said Mangione was a critic of the health care industry, a view widely held among Americans.

The killing unleashed a wave of pent-up resentment and anger toward the insurance industry, which has become a popular villain blamed for skyrocketing health care costs and poor access to care. Whether it’s denied claims, increased premiums, unexpected bills, or a general lack of transparency, patients have flooded social media with stories about their own negative healthcare experiences. insurance.

This assassination nevertheless comes after a difficult year for insurers, who are under pressure to consolidate their profits. This year in particular, businesses have faced higher medical costs due to older adults choosing to undergo surgeries that they had delayed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Witty recognized UnitedHealth Group’s role in U.S. healthcare challenges

“Health care is both extremely personal and very complicated, and the reasons behind coverage decisions are not well understood,” Witty said, emphasizing: “We share some of the responsibility in this area.”

He did not provide details on what exactly could be done to reform the industry. But Witty said the company, working with employers, governments and other payers, needs to improve how insurers explain what is covered and how those decisions are made.

He also noted that behind some claims decisions “is a comprehensive and continually updated body of clinical evidence focused on achieving the best health outcomes and patient safety.”

Witty said Thompson did his best to help patients navigate the health care system.