Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
UnitedHealthcare Group CEO Thompson Shot, Killed In NYC
CNBC: UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Fatally Shot In New York
Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth Group’s insurance unit, was fatally shot outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan Wednesday morning, in what is believed to be a targeted attack, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC. UnitedHealth Group canceled its investor day after reports emerged of the shooting. Thompson led UnitedHealthcare, the largest private health insurer in the U.S. (Constantino and Fonrouge, 12/4)
Stat: UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Is Reportedly Killed In Shooting
UnitedHealth Group executives were in New York City on Wednesday for their annual investor conference, which began at 8 a.m. ET. UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty came on stage after an hour and canceled the rest of the conference amid the reports. A spokesperson from the New York Police Department confirmed there was a shooting at 6:45 a.m. ET Wednesday at the New York Hilton Midtown hotel. Police officers responded to a 911 call and found a 50-year-old male with gunshot wounds to the chest and leg. The man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. (Herman and Bannow, 12/4)
The Wall Street Journal: UnitedHealth Executive Brian Thompson Shot Dead Outside Manhattan Hilton Hotel
The company abruptly cut off its investor event due to the tragedy. Andrew Witty, chief executive of the parent company, came onstage around 9 a.m. to say that the company was “dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members” and would end its live presentation. Thompson, a longtime UnitedHealth veteran, took over as leader of the insurance unit in 2021. Before that, he oversaw the insurer’s Medicare and Medicaid businesses. He began working at the company in 2004. He graduated from the University of Iowa in 1997 with a business degree, according to his LinkedIn page. (Lukpat and Wilde Mathews, 12/4)
