CEO Wanted Posters in NYC: The Revolution Luigi Mangione Started Against Corporate Greed
By Michael Kelman Portney
Overview of the Issue of Corporate Greed in Healthcare
The streets of New York City are speaking louder than any boardroom meeting ever could. “Wanted” posters plastered across the city feature the faces of healthcare executives like Brian Thompson, Heather Cianfrocco, and Andrew Witty. These corporate titans are not being lauded for their leadership; they are being called out for their alleged crimes against humanity—denying medical care for profit. For those living on the receiving end of these denials, the message on these posters is clear: “Enough is enough.”
The healthcare industry, once a beacon of hope and healing, has become a battleground where corporate greed often overshadows patient care. The commodification of healthcare has led to a system where profits are prioritized over people, and the consequences are dire. Millions are left without necessary treatments, while a select few reap enormous financial rewards. This systemic failure has ignited a firestorm of public outrage, culminating in acts of desperation and violence.
The Incident: Description of the Events Surrounding Brian Thompson's Death and Luigi Mangione's Actions
Last week, the healthcare industry felt the wrath of this mounting frustration when Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed on his way to an investor conference. The alleged gunman, Luigi Mangione, reportedly left behind a manifesto labeling insurance executives as “parasites” who profit off the suffering of others. For some, Mangione has become a martyr for a cause—an unlikely anti-hero in the war against healthcare injustice.
Mangione's actions, while extreme, have forced a national conversation about the state of healthcare in America. His manifesto, a scathing critique of the industry, has resonated with many who feel trapped in a system that values profit over human life. The incident has exposed the deep-seated anger and frustration felt by countless individuals who have been denied care or faced financial ruin due to exorbitant medical costs.
The Healthcare System: Analysis of the Systemic Issues in Healthcare That Lead to Public Outrage
The healthcare system in the United States is plagued by systemic issues that have fueled public outrage. At the heart of the problem is the prioritization of profit over patient care. Health insurers have perfected a three-step dance of denial: delay care, deny coverage, and ultimately dispose of the claimant—either through death or bankruptcy. All the while, their executives rake in salaries and bonuses that could fund entire hospitals.
Brian Thompson was not just a man; he was the face of a machine. A machine that churns through human lives like a factory producing profits. How many cancer treatments were denied on his watch? How many diabetics were told their insulin was “not covered”? The cries of the denied and the dead echo louder than any PR statement UnitedHealthcare can muster in the wake of his death.
The system's failures are not limited to insurance companies. Pharmaceutical companies, hospital networks, and other healthcare entities also contribute to the problem. Skyrocketing drug prices, surprise medical bills, and opaque pricing structures have left patients feeling powerless and exploited. The lack of transparency and accountability in the industry has eroded public trust and fueled calls for reform.
Public Reaction: Examination of the Public's Response to Mangione's Actions and the Broader Implications
Enter Luigi Mangione. Ivy League graduate, heir to a real estate empire, and now, the most polarizing figure in America. On one hand, he is a murderer, charged with the deliberate killing of Thompson. On the other, he has become a symbol of righteous anger—a modern-day Robin Hood, stealing not from the rich, but from their illusion of invincibility.
The internet has exploded with memes, hashtags, and fanfare (#FreeLuigi, anyone?), elevating Mangione to folk hero status. Is this reaction extreme? Perhaps. But it’s also revealing. People are desperate for change—desperate enough to idolize someone who took the most drastic action imaginable.
It’s easy to condemn violence in theory. But what happens when peaceful protests fall on deaf ears? What happens when millions of voices crying for healthcare reform are drowned out by the ka-ching of corporate profits? What happens when people are pushed so far that the only language they feel will be heard is bloodshed?
Mangione’s manifesto—“The parasites had it coming”—is brutal, but it reflects a sentiment many are too afraid to say out loud: if the system denies you justice, you take it by any means necessary.
The Role of Executives: Discussion on the Responsibilities and Actions of Healthcare Executives
Following Thompson’s death, health insurance companies are scrambling to protect their remaining executives. They’re closing offices, removing photos from websites, and hiring armed security. Suddenly, the very people who have spent their careers denying coverage are crying about feeling unsafe.
Here’s the irony: these are the same executives who expect the average American to jump through hoops to access basic care. Who deny treatments with one hand while padding their pockets with the other. Who profit from a system that leaves people to die, alone and afraid. And now, they’re the ones claiming to be victims? Spare me.
If anything, this situation has made one thing abundantly clear: the veneer of corporate invincibility has cracked. When you exploit millions for profit, don’t be shocked when the exploited push back.
Healthcare executives have a responsibility to prioritize patient care and ensure that their companies operate ethically. This means making decisions that benefit patients, not just shareholders. It means being transparent about pricing and coverage policies. And it means being accountable for the impact of their actions on individuals and communities.
The Message: Exploration of the Underlying Message Behind the Violence and Public Sentiment
Some are already hand-wringing about the “dangerous precedent” set by Thompson’s murder. But let’s get real: the dangerous precedent was set long ago when we allowed healthcare to become a commodity instead of a right. When we let corporations decide who gets to live and who has to die. When we normalized the idea that human suffering is just the cost of doing business.
Luigi Mangione didn’t create this rage; he merely acted on it. The posters plastered across NYC aren’t just about Thompson—they’re about a system that denies care to the sick, bankrupts the vulnerable, and pretends it’s all just capitalism at work.
The underlying message behind the violence and public sentiment is clear: the status quo is no longer acceptable. People are demanding change, and they are willing to fight for it. The healthcare industry must recognize this reality and take meaningful steps to address the systemic issues that have led to this crisis.
Conclusion: Call to Action for Reform in the Healthcare Industry
Let this serve as a warning—not just to healthcare CEOs, but to anyone profiting from the exploitation of others. People are tired. They’re angry. And they’re ready to fight back, by any means necessary. If the healthcare industry wants to avoid more “Wanted” posters and more tragedies, they need to stop pretending this is business as usual and start fixing the system.
Because if they don’t, this is going to happen again. Luigi Mangione didn’t set out to kill a CEO—he set out to start a revolution, and it looks like he might succeed.
The time for excuses is over. The healthcare industry must prioritize patient care, ensure transparency and accountability, and work towards a system that values human life over profit. Only then can we begin to heal the wounds of a broken system and restore trust in an industry that has lost its way.
The truth hurts, but the lies kill.
