Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s insurance division, was shot and killed outside of a hotel in New York City on December 4, according to news reports. The 50-year-old Thompson has worked for the company for 20 years and was promoted to the chief executive position in 2021. UnitedHealth Group leadership canceled the day’s scheduled investor event immediately after the incident. He was described as an “extraordinary person” in a video sent to employees. Thompson was married with 2 children, and his wife Paulette Thompson told media outlets that she was aware of “some threats” against her husband. According to CNN, a UnitedHealth Group in-house security team was present at the event.
Speculation abounds: No doubt shocked industry observers suspect that the perpetrator—who fled on a bicycle, according to local media—may be a disgruntled patient, health plan member, or business partner of UnitedHealthcare. With increasing numbers of social media posts complaining about health insurers, ire among consumers has reached an all-time high. Meanwhile, some organizations are still feeling the negative financial effects of the Change Healthcare cyberattack earlier this year—the nation’s largest-ever breach of healthcare data—that compromised personal information of 100 million people and halted payments to providers, causing some to shutter their businesses because of cash flow issues. The incident is still under investigation.
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