Here is a hard truth for those of us who are care providers: Americans are unsatisfied with the country's healthcare system. It is not just about cost or lack of access. Gallup recently found only 44% of Americansopens in a new tab or window think the quality of the care they get in this country is excellent or even good.
Unfortunately, Sir Andrew Witty, British business executive and CEO of UnitedHealth Group, appears to think insurers bear no blame for Americans' discontent. In recent comments to investorsopens in a new tab or window in the wake of the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Witty essentially absolved UnitedHealthcare of any insurer's role in the dissatisfaction plaguing the U.S. healthcare system. While acknowledging healthcare costs are significantly higher than in other countries, Witty seemed to lay the blame squarely on the cost of careopens in a new tab or window -- prescription drugs, hospital procedures, and physician services -- without acknowledging UnitedHealthcare's role in this broken system.
Make no mistake: insurers are certainly one reason Americans are angry.
Comments