NEW YORK, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- The words "deny," "defend" and "depose" -- etched in Sharpie on bullet casings recovered outside the Midtown Hilton after Wednesday's deadly shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson -- have focused attention on threats faced by professionals in all levels of the health-insurance industry, reported The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on Friday.

"The words are familiar to anyone on the front lines of the emotional battles between insurance companies and their customers over coverage issues," noted the report. "Patient support groups commonly use the refrain 'deny, delay and defend,' which is meant to summarize cost-driven insurance-company tactics that some customers see as harsh."

It has also become well-known among plaintiffs' lawyers who sue health, property and casualty insurers on behalf of patients, alleging coverage has been unfairly denied. Many of the lawyers now have the phrase on their websites, according to the report.

"The killing of Thompson, who led the country's largest health insurer, has fueled a nationwide outpouring of frustration and anger with the companies that provide medical-care coverage, especially their denials of service. Police said on Wednesday that the attack was targeted, but they didn't know the motivation," it said.

The tragic circumstances have stirred strong emotions among patients, families and doctors who have navigated a convoluted healthcare system, and confronted the scary prospect of thousands of dollars in costs if their insurer wouldn't cover a treatment, it said, adding that "some Americans displayed shockingly little sympathy online for Thompson, citing their own experiences struggling to get coverage and describing health insurers as greedy." Enditem

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