The American healthcare system has long been criticized for being expensive, inefficient and hostile, but tensions reached a fever pitch last week when disgruntled policyholder Mario Ferrari, 27, fatally shot AmericaHealthcare CEO Richard Hammond during a Q&A session about “maximizing shareholder profits.”
According to witnesses, Ferrari reportedly yelled, “Deny this!” before opening fire. Hammond was rushed to a hospital, but tragically, doctors refused treatment until his family that was vacationing in Bora Bora could provide proof of insurance.
Those close to Ferrari describe him as a man pushed to the brink by years of medical red tape. “He just snapped after they billed him $1,800 for an ambulance ride,” his brother said. “He didn’t even ride the ambulance. He just leaned on it while waiting for his Uber.”
Court documents reveal Ferrari had accumulated over $450,000 in medical debt after being treated for a broken leg that his insurance deemed a “luxury injury” and claimed was a result of “reckless walking.” He appealed the charges, but AmericanHealthcare upheld its decision, noting that “walking isn’t mandatory to live in America.” To add insult to injury, he was later billed $8,000 for hospital parking.
Supporters of Ferrari have started a crowdfunding campaign to cover his legal fees, raising $4.7 million in less than a week. Experts say it’s the only example in history of Americans willingly paying someone else’s bills.
However, the healthcare industry has expressed outrage over the incident. Hammond’s company, AmericanHealthcare, has issued a press release pledging to honor his memory by “streamlining” costs, which insiders confirmed means reducing coverage options and raising premiums.
“We are committed to providing the same level of care that led us to this tragic moment,” said interim CEO Karen Machete, who later clarified that “care” referred to shareholder dividends, not patient outcomes.
In response to public outcry, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have promised swift action. Senate Majority Leader Gary Lawson announced a bipartisan committee to study the problem, which is expected to file a 2,000-page report funded by Pfizer concluding that “healthcare is complicated.”
Meanwhile, Senator Tom Cruise blamed the shooting on “woke insurance policies” and suggested arming hospital staff as a deterrent. “A good guy with a gun could’ve saved that CEO,” Cruise tweeted.
The incident has reignited the debate over the state of US healthcare, with many Americans admitting that, while murder is extreme, they’ve at least fantasized about it during their 90-minute hold times with customer service.
“We’re committed to improving access,” said one AmericanHealthcare representative. “But we’d like to remind everyone that quality care comes at a price. And that price is typically around $50 for a band-aid, $200 for a consultation, and $3,000 for the ‘emergency room’ experience that we guarantee you’ll never forget—especially after you see the bill.”