America has a new folk hero who happens to be a murderer! And it is because he has struck right at the heart of the most desperate aspect of life in the US – health insurance. Now, people are writing viral songs about Luigi Mangione, the man who allegedly murdered the CEO of a big health insurance company, shooting him dead in the middle of Manhattan. Fashion influencers are talking about his six-pack abs.
Late night TV comics are cracking jokes valourising Luigi. The jacket that he wore that night, is flying off the shelves. And some smart people are selling Luigi merch online.
But there’s virtually zero sympathy for the man who was killed in cold blood. All because he led a health insurance company which had rejected a large number of claims. While the health system in the US has been a sore spot for American capitalism for decades, now it seems to have reached a tipping point.
Insurance companies have taken off the names and photographs of their CEOs from their websites, fearing copycat attacks. ADVERTISEMENT REMOVE AD India Heading the Same Way The US might be an extreme case, but when it comes to the cost of health, India seems to be heading that way. Take me, for instance.
I have paid Rs 1,62,500 as health insurance premium for my family of four. This includes something called ‘critical care’ insurance, where you get a lumpsum in case you are diagnosed with a life-threatening condition. Spread this across year, and my monthly average cost of medical insurance co.
