Following the brazen murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, many Americans have asked why there is so much hate for insurance companies. While there may be as many reasons as there are denials for millions of claims, it is clear the health insurance system is broken and needs repair.
Nothing underscores the point more than the pursuit of profits over patients by big insurance companies during the COVID-19 crisis.
Although the pandemic exposed glaring inequities in our healthcare system, few were as egregious as the profiteering of America’s largest insurance companies. At the height of the crisis, hospitals were overwhelmed and communities struggled to access care. At the same time, major health insurance companies reaped massive profits and withheld billions in federal relief funds meant for frontline healthcare providers.
In March 2020, the healthcare system buckled under the weight of unprecedented demand. Congress responded quickly by passing the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This sweeping legislation allocated $178 billion for healthcare providers through the Provider Relief Fund, a lifeline designed to support hospitals, clinics and frontline workers confronting the deluge of COVID-19 patients.
In theory, the Provider Relief Fund funds were to flow through insurance companies to healthcare providers, ensuring payment for COVID-19 testing, treatment and care. In practice, some of America’s largest insurers, including........