Unitedhealth Executive Reportedly Killed In Manhattan

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was reportedly shot and killed outside a Manhattan hotel Wednesday in what could be a targeted attack coordinated to the group's annual Investor Day.

Thompson, 49, was named CEO of the UnitedHealth Group  (UNH)  health-benefits division in 2021, around the same time Andrew Witty took over as group CEO.

Thompson reportedly was attending the company's analyst and investors event at a Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

BREAKING: man shot in the chest outside Hilton Hotel on 6th Ave around 6:46a. This happened less than 5 blocks from Rockefeller Center, where the tree will be lit tonight. A high profile night in the city where this morning NYPD officers are searching for the shooter @fox5ny pic.twitter.com/CYoRT9zsIs

— Dan Bowens (@danbowensfox5) December 4, 2024

The group, which has been challenged by changes in Medicare payouts as well as a surge in costs tied to increases in post-Covid surgeries, had outlined new profit and revenue forecasts for the coming year ahead of the event.

UnitedHealth stopped its investor presentation amid what it called a "serious event." The group's senior media executives were not immediately available for comment.

Prior to his role as UnitedHealthcare CEO, Thompson served as head of its government programs including Medicare & Retirement and Community & State, as well as UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement.

More Health Care:

• Biden administration adds weight-loss drugs to Medicare
• Crazy-expensive weight loss drugs may soon see a major change
• Dave Ramsey has blunt words on Medicare for retired Americans

UnitedHealth shares were last marked 2.2% higher on the session and changing hands at $619.23 each.

The group told investors in its near-term outlook that it sees its medical cost ratio, which captures the gap between collected premiums and medical payouts, to range between 86% and 87% next year, a level that was largely in-line with analysts' estimates. 

Health-insurance groups are seeing payouts to policyholders surge as more Americans, typically those in retirement age, find the time and space for elective surgeries in hospitals that were previously overwhelmed by covid patients.

Related: Veteran fund manager sees world of pain coming for stocks