UnitedHealth CEO says U.S. health system 'needs to function better'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Yahoo! Finance/NBC News

Updated Thu, January 16, 2025 at 9:11 PM EST


The CEO of UnitedHealth Group said Thursday that shortcomings of America’s health care system must be addressed. On the company’s first earnings call since the fatal shooting of UnitedHealth executive Brian Thompson, CEO Andrew Witty said that while the U.S. provides world-leading care in many respects, there are systemic flaws that are working to drive up health costs for people in the country.

“The health system needs to function better,” he said, adding that the “variety” of state, federal and private sector structures and programs have created a “confusing,” “complex” and “costly” health care landscape.

Witty began the call expressing gratitude for the condolences received in the wake of Thompson’s death. “Many of you knew Brian personally,” Witty said, referring to the investors on the call. “You knew how much he meant to all of us and how he devoted his time to help make the health system work better for all of the people we’re privileged to serve.”

The suspect charged in Thompson's killing, Luigi Mangione, is currently being held without bond in Brooklyn. He faces capital murder charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Read more: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/unitedhealth-ceo-says-u-health-204736305.html

[Walleye]

1. "It needs to function better"? Gee, if only we had healthcare companies that could do that.

[surfered]

4. I know, ironic. A self own.

[RobinA]

22. Isn't This

kinda like the POTUS saying this country needs better leadership?

[Walleye]

24. Honestly, I think the country needs better voters

[JustAnotherGen]

2. I don't care

What this asshole has to say. He needs to sit down and shut up. Fuck this guy.

[Ray Bruns]

3. Yes it does by implementing a single payer system.

[GB_RN]

5. Sure It Does.

Take the for profit, shareholder value bullshit out of it, and that will go a long way to helping solve the crisis. And yes, I mean crisis.

[area51]

6. Literally the only way to make our healthcare system function better

is to get rid of the parasitic insurance companies & go to universal healthcare.

[sop]

7. Sounds like a press release put out by the PR firm they hired to improve their public image after the Mangione incident.

Health insurers don't want to change their shitty business practices, they only want to change the public's perception of their shitty business practices.

[lark]

8. Fuck them, they are a huge part of the reason for the disfunction by denying necessary services.

Their huge profits are the problem!!!

[travelingthrulife]

9. Yes, Greedbag, get private insurance out of healthcare.

[BigMin28]

10. Pharmacy Benefits Managers

Need to go. Inserting a middleman into a process never saves anyone money.

Him speaking about all those pesky and confusing state, federal, and private programs they have to deal with is just code for we don't want any regulations. They do not care if people suffer or die, as long as they profit.

[Jacson6]

11. We could use a flat health insurance income tax of 5% and provide Medicare for all. n/t

[Fla Dem]

12. You can begin by cutting your annual salary in half.

In 2023, Witty's total compensation from UnitedHealth Group was $23.5 million, representing a CEO-to-median worker pay ratio of 352-to-1 and making Witty the highest paid CEO of a US-listed health insurance company for that year.

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Andrew_Witty

[C0RI0LANUS]

32. In Japan, the 4th largest economy in the world, CEOs make far less than their US counterparts.

From BusinessWeek:

The average compensation of a Japanese CEO is less than one-sixth that of their American counterpart and 16 times more than the average Japanese worker.

Andrew Witty? 352-to-1




Source:

https://archive.thinkprogress.org/average-japanese-ceo-earns-one-sixth-as-much-as-american-ceos-9d95cf97af34/

[EarthFirst]

13. Shut.The.Fuck.Up.

Your model of healthcare and insurance delivery are 110% fucked…

Until you have let the words universal single payer leave your lips; I don’t give a flying fuck what you have to say about healthcare.

[ChazInAz]

14. Not listening, Witty.

I hold United, and all of its officers, directly responsible for my wife's death.

[vapor2]

15. No changes will happen til hell freezes over

[Grins]

16. "The health system needs to function better," he said. Yeah! Those guys. Waaaaaay over there....

The guys taking more than 30% off the top? "Not us!"

[Evolve Dammit]

17. So let's see some changes your company could do. Pay claims instead of giving bonuses to deny coverage??

[dalton99a]

18. Goddamn filthy parasite should shut up

[ZonkerHarris]

19. starts with you asshole

[usonian]

20. needs to function better: translation: profits are too low.

They got their flunky.

"He devoted his time to help make the health system work better for all of the people we’re privileged to serve."

Translation:

"He devoted his time to help make the health system work better for all of the privileged people."

[KatyaR]

21. I think words don't do this justice.

[tenderfoot]

23. The British CEO that uses their NHS has something to say!

[IbogaProject]

25. OK let's drop for profit middlemen like your very companies?

So a leader in the private healthcare industry admits it isn't working, good now advocate for a national single payer. Medicare age reductions are not a solution as Medicare only covers 80%. We need 100% coverage and a reformed tax code that only favors small investors and workers and taxes anyone with over $250K in annual gains or incomes much higher.

[ck4829]

26. You are the system, Witty.

[kacekwl]

27. Insurance is the major problem

with how healthcare works. The pharmaceutical industry is a close 2 nd. Try again Mr. Thompson.

[Bristlecone]

28. As tone deaf as it comes.

[The Unmitigated Gall]

29. Like a blowfly complaining that the corpse stinks. nt

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

30. Function better for who? CEOs? Shareholders?

Shirley, not better for the patients, right?

[BigmanPigman]

31. The current system doesn't "function" and that is the problem here.

Yesterday I added up all the hours spent with Blue Shield over inaccurate billing the loss of my health insurance out of the blue. So far 20 HOURS have been wasted on my part.

And now the bad part...
I was lied to by 6 different people at CoveredCA and Bl shield over the course of 2 days. I document every conversation and I've been dealing with this BS since Dec., 28th and it only gets worse!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I have to pay $1,100 per month (50% of my disability retirement income after taxes) or they will "suspend my coverage" and if I need to see any doctor I won't be able to. Blue Shield said they'd refund the difference ($906) if this is ever straightened out. Yesterday I cried off and on for 6 hours. I am already sick so how the hell is this stress, anger and frustration going to be a plus for me physically. Believe me when I tell you I wanted to kill several monsters/AKA health insur companies all night long. I want them to suffer immense pain and agony before they die.......KARMA!!!!!

And if one more person tells me, "Don't worry, it's no big deal, you're not REALLY going to lose your insurance" I will kill fucking that person since I WILL and they have no clue what my life in living hell is like. When I saw my Prim Care doctor in Dec (he's a Dem so we can speak freely) he said I was right and there is a very good of losing my insur due to tRump since it probably will happen. He also hates health insur companies since they make his job hell. I've lost even more weight from this stress this week alone and now I am 82 pounds and I'm eating 3 times more than I normally due. They ARE killing me and that is the GOP plan. Sadistic, greedy monsters need to be destroyed ASAP!

The healthcare system in the USA is KILLING ME AND YOU AND THEY DO NOT GIVE A SHIT!!!!!!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Blue Full Moon]

33. Universal health care

UnitedHealthcare has a presence in the United Kingdom, including a bid management service and a Global Medical (UK) Limited company.