UnitedHealth Group announced a new chief executive officer on Tuesday, a sudden and surprising change that came during the tumultuous aftermath of the fatal shooting in December of its UnitedHealthcare subsidiary's CEO.
The company has been the source of criticism over problems in the insurance industry and has seen its stock value plummet in the past year. The Justice Department has investigated its business practices.
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WATCH HEREStephen J. Hemsley was appointed as the new CEO effective immediately after Andrew Witty decided to step down as CEO for unspecified "personal reasons," according to NBC News.
Hemsley served as the company CEO from 2006 to 2017, and will remain chairman of the company’s Board of Directors. Meanwhile, Witty will serve as a senior adviser to Hemsley, the company said in a news release.
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SIGN UP The company said in a statement that it has suspended its annual outlook for 2025, because it broadened to include "more types of benefit offerings than seen in the first quarter" and because "the medical costs of many Medicare Advantage beneficiaries new to UnitedHealthcare remained higher than expected."
"The company expects to return to growth in 2026," the statement added.
In December 2024, the CEO of United Healthcare, Brian Thompson, was fatally shot in what police described as a “premeditated, preplanned targeted attack” in midtown Manhattan as he was walking to an investors’ conference.
Luigi Mangione, now 27, was arrested after a five-day manhunt at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
He was hit with federal and state charges in New York and Pennsylvania in connection with the shooting. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder and terrorism charges in New York, and not guilty to federal stalking and murder charges. If convicted of federal charges, Mangione could be sentenced to death.
UnitedHealth Group's shares were down about 10% Tuesday morning. The stock, which is part of the 30-company Dow Jones Industrial Average, fell about 25% this year heading into morning trade.
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