The leader of UnitedHealthcare’s parent organization admitted on Friday that the U.S. healthcare system has significant flaws and committed to making improvements through his company.

This commitment comes shortly after a man, charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, claimed his actions were driven by a deep-seated anger towards the healthcare system—emotions echoed by many on social media in the wake of the Dec. 4 incident.

As UnitedHealthcare employees continue to mourn the loss of a “brilliant, kind man,” Andrew Witty expressed in an op-ed for the New York Times, “We are also trying to comprehend this shocking act and the hostility directed towards our staff, who are facing numerous threats.”

Witty, CEO of UnitedHealth Group, added, “We recognize that the healthcare system is not functioning as it should, and we empathize with the frustrations expressed by many.”

“No one would create a system like the current one,” Witty pointed out, noting that the U.S. healthcare framework is “an amalgamation developed over many years.” He further stated that United’s goal is to enhance this system, a mission that Thompson passionately supported, having grown up on an Iowa farm.

According to Witty, Thompson’s legacy should reflect his dedication to making healthcare “more affordable, transparent, humane, and understanding.”

The killing of Thompson, allegedly by Luigi Mangione—who reportedly had expressed grievances regarding UnitedHealthcare in documents discovered with him—ignited a wave of angry posts targeting health insurance providers, who play a pivotal role in the $4.5 trillion U.S. healthcare system. People shared experiences of denied claims, postponed treatments, and other negative interactions with health insurers, especially aimed at UnitedHealthcare, one of the largest insurers in the country.

“I’ve heard for years from people frustrated by coverage denials or delays in treatment, and this incident provided a platform for many to express their anger towards someone who recently became widely known,” Wendell Potter, a former CIGNA executive turned industry whistleblower, told YSL News.

Potter emphasized that this anger is “unfortunately misdirected.”

“The system is rigged against Americans requiring care, including those with insurance, and a significant part of this is due to the influence of Wall Street in our healthcare system,” he remarked.

Witty’s op-ed, which was published Friday morning on the New York Times’ website, acknowledged the complexity and personal nature of healthcare, indicating that many people do not fully understand the criteria behind coverage decisions.

“Healthcare is deeply personal yet highly intricate,” he noted. “We share some of the responsibility for this. Alongside employers, governments, and others funding care, we must better clarify what insurance includes and how coverage decisions are made.”