Pre-Existing Condition
The assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson re-energized conversation around the US medical system, particularly the role of middlemen like insurance companies. Simultaneously, there has been an outpouring of support for the accused shooter, Luigi Mangione. Pre-Existing Condition is a dance-theater piece about that event, as well as the large-scale policy issues surrounding it. The piece uses movement, dialogue, data, projection, and headlines to recreate the shockwaves of the moment, and understand what it means for us now.
People
Cast members: Clarence Brooks (Brian Thompson), Jack Randel, Kristi Ann Schopfer, Lee Tyler (Luigi Mangione), Nicole McClam
Director/Choreographer: Aidan Feldman
Playwright: Seth Moore
Music: Boards of Canada, Hans Zimmer, Cristobal Tapia de Veer
Special thanks to: Carla Jackie Sampson, Elise Long, Jacob Victory
By the numbers
- $5 trillion: Annual spending by the U.S. healthcare system
- 5th: Ranking of the U.S. healthcare system, if it were its own country
- 2x: U.S. healthcare system spending relative to Russia’s GDP
- $15,474: Annual health spending per person in the US
- 2x: American spending on healthcare per capita, relative to comparable countries
- 4x: The growth in health insurance premiums since year 2000
- 100 million: Americans in medical debt
- $200 billion: Amount of medical debt in America
- 1st: Ranking of medical debt as a reason for bankruptcy
- $10.2 million: Brian Thompson (UnitedHealthcare CEO)’s total compensation in 2024
- $26.3 million: Andrew Witty (UnitedHealth Group CEO) total compensation in 2024
- 30%: Andrew Witty’s compensation increase, 2021-2024
- $800 million: Spending on health lobbying in the U.S.
- 16: Journalists sent mail bombs in 2018
- Last: U.S. health system ranking among high-income countries
- 1/3: Claim denials by UnitedHealthcare in 2024
- 180: Shots fired at the CDC headquarters in 2025
- 1/9: New York City residents lacking any kind of health insurance
Additional references
- “Luigi Mangione, age 26, history of Lyme disease, severe brain fog, irritable bowel syndrome, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and sciatica. Patient diagnosed with L5-S1 isthmic spondylolisthesis, which became debilitating after a surfing accident in 2022. This led to pain and numbness in his lower back and genital area. In July 2023, patient underwent successful spinal fusion surgery.”
- “Florida, where open carry is legal.”
- “I’ll wait to see what actual changes come of this, because so far it’s just a lot of conversation.”
- “The monopolization of these healthcare companies is being scrutinized as we speak.”
- “Your “Robin Hood”’s family owns country clubs! The guy he shot in the back grew up working class in Iowa.”
- Brian Thompson speech adapted from UnitedHealth Group’s Earnings Conference Call, Third Quarter 2024 Remarks.
- “2011: Representative Gabby Giffords, shot in the head point-blank.”
- “2017: Representative Steve Scalise, shot during baseball practice.”
- “2020: Governor Gretchen Whitmer, target of a kidnapping.”
- “January 6th, 2021: Insurrection to interrupt the peaceful transfer of power.”
- “2022: Paul Pelosi, skull fractured with a hammer.”
- “2024: Donald Trump, shot in the ear by a sniper during a rally.”
- “2025: State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, shot in their home.”
- “UnitedHealth secretly paid nursing homes to reduce hospital transfers.”
- “2025: Governor Josh Shapiro, house set on fire while he and his family were inside.”
- “2025: Charlie Kirk, shot by a sniper during a debate.”