“Delay” and “Deny” are written on bullets found at the murder scene of the UnitedHealthcare CEO. Here’s what they could mean.

NEW YORK – Shell casings marked “Delay” and “Deny” were found at the crime scene the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Wednesday.

But what do the words mean? CBS News New York investigative reporter Mahsa Saeidi is investigating whether they are connected to a possible motive.

“Delay, deny, defend” is a common phrase in the industry

After Thompson’s murder, markings indicated the location of the bullet casings. According to sources, a Sharpie was used to meticulously label the bullets.

While the motive is unknown, officers are investigating the meaning of the words.

“When I saw that, I immediately thought, ‘Oh my God!'” said plaintiff’s insurance attorney John Tolley.

Tolley says “delay, deny, defend” is a common phrase in his industry. It is the title of a popular book that supposedly criticizes tactics used by insurers.

In 2010, the author wrote that insurance companies delay payments, deny claims, and then defend themselves against their lawsuits.

“The book basically goes beyond the insurance game plan. So the game plan is that we have to frustrate these people so much that even if they initially say, ‘I won’t take a dime less,’ or ‘I’, ‘I won’t stop fighting until I get.’ “What am I supposed to get?” “Well, the insurance company is going to make your life hell from the start,” Tolley said.

UnitedHealthcare was under intense scrutiny

This year, UnitedHealthcare Group faced intense criticism. At the company’s headquarters in Minnesota in July, protesters accused the insurer of systematically denying claims.

Last month, the Justice Department sued UnitedHealth Group, which insures more than 49 million Americans, accusing it of violating antitrust laws.

In October, a damning report from a U.S. Senate panel said: “UnitedHealthcare’s prior authorization denial rate for post-acute care increased from 10.9% in 2020… to 22.7% in 2022.”

At this time, police have not made a connection between Thompson’s death and these complaints.

Thompson was named CEO in 2021.

“Obviously, as a father of two, it was absolutely tragic to see something like this happen to this person,” Tolley said. “It’s just a terrible situation and my heart really bleeds for him and his family.”