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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. His leadership of the company was notable for its unusually high rate of authorization denials, and subsequent public celebration of his death by some Americans.
Brian Thompson | |
---|---|
Born | Brian Robert Thompson July 10, 1974 Ames, Iowa, U.S. |
Died | December 4, 2024 New York City, U.S. | (aged 50)
Cause of death | Gunshot wounds |
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, in Ames, Iowa, one of two sons born to Dennis and Pat (née Hunter) Thompson.[3][4][5] His father was a grain elevator worker.[3] He was raised in the nearby area, and was the class valedictorian of South Hamilton High School in Jewell Junction, north of Ames, when he graduated in 1993.[6][7][8] He graduated from the University of Iowa in 1997, where he studied business administration and accounting.[7][9]
Career
From 1997 to 2004, Thompson worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as a manager in the transaction advisory services group of the audit practice.[10] He joined UnitedHealth Group in 2004 and was named the CEO of UnitedHealthcare government programs which included Medicare and retirement as well as community and state divisions in 2021.[11] Under his leadership UHC's profits increased from $12 billion in 2021 to $16 billion in 2023.[12]
Controversies
The Associated Press said Thompson kept "a low public profile". However, he was in the public spotlight for a few moments including 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 after they get sick.[13]
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.[14] 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.[15] 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 claims at a rate which is double the industry average.[14]
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.[13] 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.[6][16][17] Data concerning these allegations and notice of its report to the Securities and Exchange Commission was initially published in the Minnesota Star Tribune in February of 2024.[18]
Additionally under Thompson’s leadership, UnitedHealthcare began using artificial intelligence to automate claim denials, resulting in patients being unable to access needed medical care.[19]
Personal life
Thompson was known to friends and colleagues as B.T.[3] He was married to Paulette (née Reveiz) Thompson, a physical therapist and fellow University of Iowa graduate.[20] They had two sons.[21][22] At the time of his death, Thompson and his family were residents of Maple Grove, Minnesota.[23]
Death
On December 4, 2024, Thompson was in New York for an annual UnitedHealthcare investors meeting having arrived on Monday, December 2.[24] He left a Marriott hotel where he was staying which was across the street from the New York Hilton Midtown which was hosting the meeting. As he was walking along West 54th Street toward the Hilton Midtown at around 6:45 am local time, he was shot by a person dressed in a black hooded jacket. Thompson was taken to Mount Sinai West hospital in Manhattan and was pronounced dead there.[25]
Aftermath
Following his killing, public officials, which included Minnesota governor and former Democratic vice president nominee Tim Walz and Senator Amy Klobuchar, expressed dismay and offered condolences to Thompson's family. Walz said that he knew Thompson.[26] 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".[27]
In contrast, many social media users celebrated the killing and shared their contempt for Thompson, UnitedHealthcare, and the American health insurance system.[28][29][30][31] The Washington Post said that many people mocked Thompson's death and others felt satisfaction.[32] One lecturer at Columbia University was quoted by The Financial Times as tweeting "Today we mourn the deaths of 68,000 Americans who needlessly die each year so that insurance company execs like Brian Thompson can become multimillionaires",[33] while 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 said that Thompson's role as CEO had led to a great number of suffering Americans "on the order of millions".[34]
Shortly following the death, rival insurance company Blue Cross Blue Shield cancelled a plan to stop covering the cost of anesthesia for longer surgeries.[35][36][37] Likewise shortly following the death, two of the houses owned by Thompson’s family were swatted.[38] A number of health insurance companies also took down the details of their leaders from the company websites.[39]
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 c Wilde Mathews, Anne; Bauerlein, Valerie (December 4, 2024). "Slain Health-Insurance Executive Brought Small Town Geniality to Big Job". Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Gabriel, Trip (December 4, 2024). "Brian Thompson, Health Insurance Executive, Dies at 50". The New York Times. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ "Births". Ames Tribune. July 11, 1974. p. 10. Retrieved December 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
To Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Thompson, Stanhope, a boy born at 1:01 p.m. on July 10 at Mary Greeley Hospital.
- ^ 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.
- ^ James, Kayla (December 5, 2024). "'He was the smartest, great friend': Childhood friend of Brian Thompson recalls their friendship". KCCI. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
Thompson grew up with his family southeast of Stanhope.
- ^
- 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.
- ^ "Databank - Insider Trading". Minneapolis Star-Tribune. February 26, 2023.
- ^ Duffy, Tami Luhby, Clare (December 6, 2024). "Following killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO, stories flood social media of denied insurance claims | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ 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.
- ^ Staff, Al Jazeera. "UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson killed: Who are the victim and suspect?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved December 6, 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.
- ^ Hall, Richard (December 6, 2024). "Reactions to the killing of insurance CEO reveal a deep anger over US healthcare". The Independent. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
- ^ Diamond, Dan (December 6, 2024). "The UnitedHealthcare CEO was killed. Why did some people celebrate?". Washington Post. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
- ^ Barnes, Oliver (December 6, 2024). "UnitedHealth shooting stokes mourning and glee on social media". Financial Times. Retrieved December 6, 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.
- ^ "Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield halts anesthesia payment policy after backlash". MSNBC.
- ^ "Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield reverses decision to put a time limit on anesthesia". AP News. December 5, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
- ^ "Anthem reverses plans to put time limits on anesthesia coverage". NPR.
- ^ "Fake bomb threat targets homes of insurance executive killed in NYC: Police". The Hill. December 5, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
- ^ Rissman, Kelly (December 6, 2024). "Several insurance giants yank leadership webpages after Brian Thompson gunned down". The Independent. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
External links
- Brian Thompson - UnitedHealth Group at the Wayback Machine (archived 2024-08-24)