Assassination Is a Leaky Abstraction
Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was assassinated, raising concerns about the company's high claim denial rate and the ethical implications of AI in healthcare, prompting unity among online communities.
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The article discusses the assassination of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare (UHC), highlighting the company's notorious practice of denying medical claims, which is often attributed to a combination of flawed AI and bureaucratic processes. UHC reportedly denies claims 32% of the time, with Cigna also employing physicians who reject numerous claims based on AI recommendations. The author notes a surprising unity among various online communities in response to Thompson's death, indicating a shared disdain for the healthcare system's treatment of patients. The piece critiques the abstraction used by executives and data scientists in the healthcare industry, which often leads to a disconnect from the human impact of their decisions. The term "leaky abstraction" is introduced, referring to the failure of simplified systems to fully conceal their complexities, which can lead to dire consequences. The article calls for reflection among those who build systems of control, urging them to consider the ethical implications of their work and the financial motivations behind it, especially in light of the violent act against Thompson.
- Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was assassinated, prompting discussions about the healthcare system.
- UHC has a high claim denial rate, often using flawed AI and bureaucratic methods.
- The assassination sparked unexpected unity among diverse online communities against the healthcare system.
- The concept of "leaky abstraction" is used to critique the disconnect between executives and the human impact of their decisions.
- The article encourages reflection on the ethical implications of data-driven decision-making in healthcare.
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Ever wonder why only one country has these healthcare companies making such huge profits, and it's a country whose health outcomes are so much worse than its peers? It's not because their people are greedier than others, or more alienated, or individually less moral. It's because their health system is set up to reward that behaviour.
(And if you want zip code to be less of a predictive feature, maybe legalise building housing. Or let your data analysts talk honestly about race, either would work.)
Leaders misinterpret decades of bloodlessness as peace, and as license to exploit even harder.
But when the exploiters rig the legal system and the political system to deny people justice, eventually there will be blood.
This is how it has always been. The ancient cycles of exploitation and payback are not about to stop now.
Some fallout: https://www.axios.com/2024/12/05/blue-cross-blue-shield-anes...
IMO a lot of the discourse on this topic is based more on vibes that reality.
UnitedHealthCare's profits are down YoY- both in absolute #s and in terms of their operating margin. (from 6.6% down to 5.6%). But if you frame the assassination as "CEO who has reduced the degree by which his company profits from sick people", you end up with a whole different batch of theories and motives.
(note that UnitedHealthcare is a subset of UnitedHealthcare Group, so you have to dig into their filings to see UHC's numbers broken out)
Rather, it's an encouragement for people who are paid to build software and data systems that shape people's lives to take a moment to reflect on that impact.
Other insurance companies have already started taking down personal information about their leadership teams. I guess they're afraid of copy-cats.
But will it change anything related to their scummy business model, or will the state assert itself to maintain the status quo?
In my Glorious Future of Applied Handwaving, the system would trade some economies of scale for smaller organizations with more individual interactions. This involves some mechanism alongside the almighty dollar as an organizing mechanism. I don't know what that is.
When the Leaky Abstractions happen, the flooding would be less severe.
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UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was murdered, prompting scornful social media reactions highlighting frustrations with the healthcare system. Users shared stories of denied coverage, reflecting broader societal anger and nihilism.
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