Ms Coffey, 53, from Manchester, New Hampshire, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 and later fell ill with complex regional pain syndrome, a potentially debilitating neurological condition. When a doctor suggested that she try ketamine therapy, her UHC insurance would not cover the procedure, she said. She has since become involved in a protest campaign organised by activist group People’s Action.
Ms Coffey’s illness forced her to stop working as an emergency medical technician. She said she started a crowdfunding drive and had to sell most of her belongings in order to pay for the treatment herself.
“I get to have some normality. I can sit up and paint, or I can enjoy a meal with my family” because of the treatment, she said. “I can have a life that’s worth living.”
UnitedHealth Group told the BBC they could not comment on individual cases for privacy reasons.
At the same time, much of the online discussion has effectively ignored the victim, Brian Thompson, who was 50.
“It’s incredibly bleak that [Thompson’s death] hasn’t been covered as much because, bottom line, a person died, a person was murdered,” Blakely Thornton said.
“The collective rage over [the healthcare industry] is really outweighing what is still a tragedy.”
Ms Coffey, the UHC policyholder and patient, said: “My heart goes out to the family and I can’t imagine what they’re having to struggle with that [killing]. It’s awful to me that this is the catalyst for this debate.”
“I would have much rather sat down and had a conversation with him.”