After the shooting, a number of politicians and industry officials expressed shock and sympathy.
Michael Tuffin, president of insurance industry body Ahip, said he was “heartbroken and devastated at the loss of my friend Brian Thompson”.
“He was a devoted father, a good friend to many and a refreshingly honest colleague and leader.”
In a statement, UnitedHealth Group said it had received many messages of support from “patients, consumers, health care professionals, associations, government officials and other concerned people.”
But online, many people, including UnitedHealthcare customers and users of other insurance services, reacted differently.
Those reactions ranged from scathing jokes (one common quip was “thoughts and prior authorizations,” a play on the phrase “thoughts and prayers”) to comments about the number of insurance claims denied by UnitedHealthcare and other firms.
After all, critics of the industry defiantly said they felt no pity for Thompson. Some even celebrated his death.
Online anger seemed to transcend the political divide.
Hostility ranged from staunch socialists to right-wing activists suspicious of the so-called “deep state” and corporate power. It also came from ordinary people sharing stories of being denied medical claims by insurance firms.
Mr Montes-Iruest of People’s Action said he was shocked by news of the murder.
He said his group campaigned in a “non-violent, democratic” way, but added he understood the bitterness online.
“We have a balkanized and broken health care system, so people who experience this broken system in different ways express very strong feelings,” he said.
Mr Taffin, head of the health insurance trade association, condemned any threats against his colleagues, calling them “mission-driven professionals working to make coverage and care as affordable as possible”.
