The news: US consumers believe that health insurers’ business practices bear nearly as much responsibility for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson as the person who shot him, according to a recent survey from NORC at the University of Chicago. 1,001 US adults were polled in mid-December.

• 78% said the individual who committed the killing bears a great deal or a moderate amount of responsibility for Thompson's death.
• 69% blamed health insurers’ coverage denials.
• 67% blamed profits generated by health insurers for the attack.

The bigger picture: The public thinks insurers are reaping profits by denying coverage and shifting the cost of expensive medical care onto patients.

UHC and others attest this narrative is largely based on misinformation. For example, a data point from market researcher Value Penguin revealing that UHC denies an industry-leading 32% of claims spread like wildfire on social media after the attack. But UHC responded with a press release stating that it approves and pays about 90% of medical claims upon submission.

Content creators have also called out public misconception of big health insurers’ profit margins after the attack. One analysis illustrated that the industry’s profit margins typically fall between 2% and 4% due to massive amounts of money spent on medical and operating costs. UHC’s profit margin is about 6%, which is still far less than the average company in the S&P 500.

The bottom line: Consumers have a negative perception of the health insurance industry and much of that sentiment is justifiable. The unfortunate truth is that the high cost of healthcare in the US is determined just as much by the price of healthcare as it is by insurance coverage. Medical services, hospital stays, and prescription drugs are priced far too high—and that’s only partly a health insurance problem. It’s more critical than ever for marketers, PR professionals, and company leaders to be transparent about why healthcare costs are so exorbitant, while offering realistic solutions to drive change.

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