General Strain Theory, Health Insurance Claim Rejection, Emotional States, and Stalking Behavior

• In Event: Emerging Forms of Victimization: Digital Harassment, Institutional Harm, and Emotional Consequences

Abstract

On November 5, 2024, a well-known Health Insurance CEO named Brian Thompson was shot on his way to work. Thompson and his organization had become associated with the phrase, “Delay, Deny, Depose”, which is discussed in Jay Feinman’s book “Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You can Do About it”. Luigi Mangione was arrested as a suspect and charged with murdering and stalking Thompson. Thompson’s murder has shed light on the Health Insurance Industry and the frustration some individuals feel towards claim denial. For example, close to 50% of people with healthcare coverage reported that within the past year, they paid for a health-care procedure that they felt should have been covered by their health insurance provider. The purpose of this quantitative study is to explore the relationship between emotions and stalking behaviors for individuals who have experienced health care claim denial. Additionally, the strain that health insurance claim denial may cause participants will be discussed through a General Strain Theory lens (Agnew, 1985, 1992). The results of this study may shed light on how health insurance claim rejection may impact patient emotional well-being, as well as whether or not these emotions are related to stalking behaviors.

Authors

• Rebekah Reysen, University of Mississippi

• Kimberly Kaiser, University of Mississippi

• Joshua Rosenbaum, University of Mississippi

• Kenneth Lomenzo, University of Mississippi