UnitedHealth Group finds itself at the center of attention once again, stirred by a leaked video featuring its higher management even as the company mourns the untimely demise of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Thompson’s life was tragically cut short when he was fatally shot outside the Hilton hotel in Manhattan, New York. The alleged shooter, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, has been apprehended and charged with murder.

Mangione’s legal counsel has declared an intention to enter a not guilty plea.

The situation escalated notably after journalist Ken Klippenstein brought the incident further into the public eye by initially sharing a snippet of the video on his Substack platform, followed by the full three-minute clip.

In the contentious video, UnitedHealth Group’s executive Andrew Witty addresses the company, saying, “We guard against the pressures that exist for unsafe care or unnecessary care.” He also honors Thompson’s legacy, reflecting, “There are very few people in the history of the US healthcare industry who had a bigger positive effect on American healthcare than Brian Thompson.”

Witty emphasizes the necessity of companies like UnitedHealth Group and individuals like Thompson within the health system.

The video sparked a whirlwind of backlash on social media platforms. A user critiqued, “You know what’s unnecessary? Health insurance! Worst middleman of all time.” Meanwhile, another highlighted the tone of Witty’s remarks, pointing out, “This is just a fancy way of saying denying care ‘isn’t personal, it’s just business.’”

Discontent extended to Witty’s perceived attitude towards public opinion, as expressed by a user who stated, “To simply dismiss everything on social media as ‘critical noise’ reveals how out of touch and elitist he is. He thinks everybody outside of his leadership team are peons to be dismissed.” Another commenter added, “Corporations like this are the disease, not the symptom.”

This controversy spiraled further when questions arose concerning Witty’s knighthood, as some pondered why he earned such recognition. Back in 2012, Witty was knighted for his invaluable contributions to the UK’s economy.

Following the video’s leak, a heartfelt internal memo was distributed within the company, further eulogizing Thompson’s significant contributions.

The memo affectionately depicted Thompson as “one of the good guys” who made “a profoundly positive impact on the lives of so many people. People he never saw. People he never met. People who never knew him. But people Brian cared so deeply about.”

It elaborated, “He was certainly one of the smartest guys. I think he was one of the best guys.”

As UnitedHealth Group steers through these tumultuous waters, the leaked video and its aftermath have heightened the public’s evaluation of the organization’s leadership and operational methods.