Also, why would UnitedHealthcare reward the terrorists (their perspective) by reneging on the surgery premiums, thereby showing people that violence will be rewarded?

This feels a lot like the public's understanding of police brutality, where everyone thinks that 1 guy at the top controls everything, when in reality it's the 2 lower rings of power below them (lieutenants). This feels like the board of directors holding CEOs accountable (to them), maybe because Brian was squeezing the public too hard too fast