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Brian Robert Thompson[1][2] (July 10, 1974 – December 4, 2024) was an American businessman. He was the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the insurance arm of UnitedHealth Group, from April 2021 until his killing in December 2024.
Brian Thompson | |
---|---|
Born | Brian Robert Thompson July 10, 1974 United States |
Died | December 4, 2024 New York City, U.S. | (aged 50)
Cause of death | Gunshot wound |
Alma mater | University of Iowa (BBA) |
Occupation | Businessman |
Title | CEO, UnitedHealthcare |
Term | 2021–2024 |
Spouse | Paulette Reveiz |
Children | 2 |
Education
Thompson was born on July 10, 1974.[3] He attended South Hamilton High School in Jewell Junction, Iowa, graduating in 1993 as class valedictorian.[4][5] Thompson graduated from the University of Iowa in 1997, where he studied business administration and accounting.[5][6]
Career
From 1997 to 2004, Thompson worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as a manager in the transaction advisory services group of the audit practice.[7] Thompson joined UnitedHealth Group in 2004 and was named CEO of UnitedHealthcare government programs that included Medicare and retirement, and community and state divisions in 2021.[8] Under his leadership profits at UHC went from $12 billion in 2021 to $16 billion in 2023.[9]
Controversies
The Associated Press described Thompson as keeping "a low public profile". However, he had a few moments in the public spotlight, such as during an investor meeting in 2023 when he announced UnitedHealthcare was shifting to a "value-based care" model by paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them when they get sick.[10]
Reports of increasing rates of prior authorization denials prompted investigations by ProPublica and the United States Senate, investigations which were described as a "stain" on Thompson's time of leadership by Fortune.[11] The Senate report, published by the United States Senate Homeland Security Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, focused in particular on denials for Medicare Advantage plans serving the elderly and disabled.[12] The investigation revealed that in 2019, UHC's prior authorization denial rate was 8.7%. Thompson became CEO in 2021, and by 2022 the rate of denial had increased to 22.7%. For both Medicare and non-Medicare claims, UHC declines at a rate double the industry average.[11]
In 2021, Thompson was criticized in an open letter from the American Hospital Association regarding a plan from UnitedHealthcare to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. UnitedHealthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change.[10]
A lawsuit was filed against Thompson, UnitedHealth chairman Stephen J. Hemsley and two other senior executives in May 2024 for alleged fraud and insider trading due to failing to disclose an antitrust investigation into the company by the United States Department of Justice and by selling stock options before the probe was made public.[13][4][14]
Personal life
Thompson's father was Dennis Thompson, a grain elevator worker, and his mother was Pat (Hunter) Thompson. He had one brother, Mark.[3] Thompson was known to friends and colleagues as B.T.[15] Brian was married to Paulette Reveiz Thompson, a physical therapist and fellow University of Iowa graduate.[16] They had two sons.[17][18] They resided in Maple Grove, Minnesota.[19]
Death
On December 4, 2024, at 6:45 a.m. EST, Thompson was in New York for an annual UnitedHealthcare investors meeting having arrived on Monday.[20] As he was walking along West 54th Street toward the New York Hilton Midtown hotel which was hosting the meeting, he was shot by a gunman dressed in a black hoodie and armed with a silenced 9mm pistol.[21] The gunman waited outside the building for several minutes, which led the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to believe it was a targeted attack, and shot Thompson several times from approximately 20 feet (6 m) away, striking him in the back and right calf.[22] Police initially said that the gunman fled the scene on an electric Citi Bike, but Lyft, Citi Bike's parent company, later said NYPD officials retracted that claim.[23] Thompson was taken to Mount Sinai West Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:12 a.m. Both the NYPD and Mayor Eric Adams said the attack appeared to be a targeted hit and was not a random attack. The gunman has yet to be found.[24][21]
The words "delay",[25] "deny", "defend", and "depose" were found written on shell casings at the scene.[26] Police believe this may indicate a motive, as they are similar to "delay, deny, defend", a popular insurance industry phrase about not paying out claims.[25]
Thompson's wife said that he had received threats in the past, citing lack of coverage as a possible reason for the threats.[27] Thompson's killing has been described as an assassination.[28] Following the killing, Thompson's house was reported to have been swatted.[29]
In response to the killing, public officials, which included Minnesota governor and former Democratic Vice President nominee Tim Walz and Senator Amy Klobuchar, expressed widespread dismay and offered condolences to Thompson's family.[30] Democratic U.S. representative Dean Phillips wrote that he was "horrified by the assassination of my constituent, Brian Thompson, this morning in NYC and have his family in my prayers".[31] In contrast, many social media users celebrated the killing and shared their contempt for Thompson, UnitedHealthcare, and the American health insurance system.[32][33][34] One physician told The Daily Beast that they sympathized with the family and said the perpetrator should be brought to justice for the killing, but also acknowledged that Thompson's role as CEO had led to a great number of suffering Americans, "on the order of millions".[35]
See also
- Andrew Witty, CEO of the UnitedHealth Group
- Richard T. Burke, founder of UnitedHealth Group
- Healthcare in the United States
References
- ^ "Q2 2024 Unitedhealth Group Inc Earnings Call". Thomson Reuters StreetEvents. July 17, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024 – via Yahoo Finance.
- ^ Tozzi, John; Miller, Myles (December 4, 2024). "UnitedHealth Executive Fatally Shot in NYC, Sparking Manhunt". Bloomberg News. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ a b Gabriel, Trip (December 4, 2024). "Brian Thompson, Health Insurance Executive, Dies at 50". The New York Times. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ a b Towfighi, John; Goldman, David (December 4, 2024). "Who was Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare fatally shot in Manhattan?". CNN. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ a b "University of Iowa alum and UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in Manhattan". KGAN. December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^
- Lukpat, Alyssa; Mathews, Anna Wilde (December 4, 2024). "UnitedHealth Executive Shot Dead Outside Manhattan Hotel". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- Baresky, John G. (April 7, 2021). "Executive Profile: Brian Thompson, New Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealthcare". Bare Sky Marketing. Archived from the original on December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- Jane, Emma (December 4, 2024). "UI 1997 valedictorian and UnitedHealthcare CEO killed in targeted shooting". The Daily Iowan. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ "Our leadership". UnitedHealthcare. Archived from the original on December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ "Brian Thompson". UnitedHealth Group. Archived from the original on December 4, 2024. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Rogelberg, Sasha. "Slain UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's tenure was marked by rocketing profits—and myriad accusations of insider trading and coverage denial". Fortune. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ a b Geller, Adam; Murphy, Tom (December 4, 2024). "UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York". AP News. Associated Press. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ a b Rogelberg, Sasha. "Slain UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's tenure was marked by rocketing profits—and myriad accusations of insider trading and coverage denial". Fortune. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ "Words on ammo in CEO shooting echo common phrase on insurer tactics: Delay, deny, defend". AP News. December 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ "UnitedHealth chair, execs sold $102M in stock before DOJ probe became public". Crain's New York Business. April 16, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Graig Graziosi (December 5, 2024). "UnitedHealthcare CEO gunned down in Manhattan sold company stocks just before DOJ probe made public". The Independent. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Wilde Mathews, Anne; Bauerlein, Valerie (December 4, 2024). "Slain Health-Insurance Executive Brought Small Town Geniality to Big Job". Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Snowbeck, Christopher (December 4, 2024). "UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson killed in 'brazen, targeted attack' in NYC; manhunt underway". Star Tribune. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Thiede, Dana (December 4, 2024). "Who was Brian Thompson? UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot in New York City". KARE. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Walrath-Holdridge, Mary; Cann, Christopher (December 4, 2024). "Who was Brian Thompson? CEO of UnitedHealthcare fatally shot in Manhattan". USA Today. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Sager, Monica (December 4, 2024). "Minnesota leaders react to UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting death". Newsweek. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ A. B. C. News. "UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson shot dead in Midtown Manhattan, masked gunman at large". ABC News. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ a b Mascarenhas, Lauren; Chowdhury, Maureen; Yan, Holly (December 4, 2024). "UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot in New York City". CNN. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Breen, Kerry (December 4, 2024). "Gunman who killed Brian Thompson, UnitedHealthcare CEO, is on the loose. What we know about the suspect". CBS News. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Offenhartz, Jake; Matthews, Karen; Sisak, Michael (December 4, 2024). "Police hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's masked killer after 'brazen, targeted' attack on NYC street". AP News. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ *Marcius, Chelsia (December 4, 2024). "C.E.O. of UnitedHealthcare Is Fatally Shot in Midtown Manhattan". The New York Times. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- Cann, Christopher (December 4, 2024). "UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in New York City, reports say". USA Today. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- Hooper, Kelly (December 4, 2024). "UnitedHealthcare CEO shot and killed in New York City". Politico. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- Miller, John; Musa, Amanda; Riess, Rebekah (December 4, 2024). "United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in midtown Manhattan, official says". CNN. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ a b Miller, John; Musa, Amanda; Riess, Rebekah; Goldman, David; Gingras, Brynn (December 4, 2024). "Gunman at large after UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot in 'brazen targeted attack,' police say". CNN. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Katersky, Aaron; Shapiro, Emily; Cohen, Miles (December 4, 2024). "UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson shot dead in Midtown Manhattan, masked gunman at large". ABC News. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Burke, Minyvonne; Li, David K.; Fonrouge, Gabrielle (December 4, 2024). "UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot outside NYC hotel in 'premeditated, preplanned targeted attack'". NBC News. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Wilson, Michael; Marcius, Chelsia; Cramer, Maria; Rennison, Joe (December 5, 2024). "Manhunt Enters Second Day After Health Executive Is Gunned Down in Manhattan". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Walsh, Paul (December 5, 2024). "Fake bomb threat targets 2 Maple Grove homes owned by family of slain UHC executive Brian Thompson". www.startribune.com. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Helsel, Phil (December 4, 2024). "Minnesota Gov. Walz, Sen. Klobuchar call killing of CEO tragic and horrifying". NBC News. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Premo, Cole (December 4, 2024). "Gov. Tim Walz, other Minnesota leaders respond after UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot in NYC". CBS News. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Novak, Matt (December 4, 2024). "Bitter Americans React to UnitedHealthcare CEO's Murder: 'My Empathy Is Out of Network'". Gizmodo. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Klee, Miles (December 4, 2024). "Social Media Has Little Sympathy for Murdered Health Insurance Exec". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Oliver, David. "The UnitedHealthcare CEO was killed and many had little sympathy. Why?". USA TODAY. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Craig, Sean (December 5, 2024). "Moderators Delete Reddit Thread as Doctors Torch Dead UnitedHealthcare CEO". The Daily Beast. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
One medical doctor, whose identity the Daily Beast confirmed, commented with sympathy for Thompson's family and said the killer should be charged with murder, but then wondered about the damage the CEO had done. "I cannot even guess how many person-years UHC has taken from patients and their families through denials," they wrote. "It has to be on the order of millions. His death won't make that better, but it's hard for me to sympathize when so many people have suffered because of his company." "What has bothered me the most is people that put «fiduciary responsibility» (eg profits) above human lives, none more so than this company as run by him," wrote another medical doctor, who also spoke to the Daily Beast to confirm their identity. "When other's human lives are deemed worthless, it is not surprising to have others view your life of no value as well.
External links
- Brian Thompson - UnitedHealth Group at the Wayback Machine (archived 2024-08-24)