The CEO of one of the nation’s largest health insurance companies, UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot on Wednesday. The company provides service to more than 52 million international consumers.
Brian Thompson, 50, was shot just before 7 a.m. Wednesday near the New York Hilton Midtown in midtown Manhattan, New York. He had been in New York for UnitedHealth Group’s annual Investor Conference. The New York Police Department called Thompson’s death a “brazen targeted attack.”
An NYPD spokesperson said police arrived to the scene and found Thompson unconscious and unresponsive with gunshot wounds to the leg and chest. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The NYPD are still searching for the suspect, who was masked.
Thompson was CEO of UnitedHealthcare since April 2021, having joined the company in 2004.
Here’s what to know about UnitedHealthcare.
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What is UnitedHealthcare?
UnitedHealthcare is the health insurance unit of UnitedHealth Group, an international health insurance company based in Minnesota. The parent company was founded in 1977.
UnitedHealthcare provides employer and individual health insurance, Medicare coverage and programs to underserved Americans, according to the company’s website.
UnitedHealthcare served more than 52 million consumers, per a 2023 UnitedHealthcare report. The company worked with more than 1.7 million physicians and care professionals, in addition to more than 7,000 hospitals and care facilities in 2023.
How many people work at UnitedHealth Group?
More than 396,000 employees work across all of UnitedHealth Group, according to the company’s website. The healthcare company was ranked No. 203 on Forbes’ World’s Best Employers list for 2024.
How much is UnitedHealth Group worth?
According to Forbes, UnitedHealth Group’s share price was worth $610.5 million, as of Wednesday afternoon.
Mary Walrath-Holdridge and Christopher Cann contributed to this reporting.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.
Clinton Mora is a reporter for Trending Insurance News. He has previously worked for the Forbes. As a contributor to Trending Insurance News, Clinton covers emerging a wide range of property and casualty insurance related stories.