Former UnitedHealth Group CFO John Rex topped the list of the highest earning payer CFOs — again.
Several CFOs who were also on the list last year — including those from UnitedHealth Group, Centene and Elevance Health — saw pay jumps in 2025.
Here are the top eight payer CFO earners, in order:
1. John Rex, UnitedHealth Group (former CFO)
Salary: $1,400,000
Stock awards: $11,250,189
Option awards: $3,750,088
Other compensation: $8,075,704
Total: $24,475,981
2. Celeste Mellet, Humana
Salary: $900,000
Bonus: $6,000,000
Stock Awards: $10,651,166
Non-Equity Incentive Plan: $1,327,603
Other Compensation: $43,935
Total: $18,922,704
3. Andrew Asher, Centene
Salary: $1,152,885
Stock awards: $13,362,923
Non-equity incentive plan compensation: $1,238,198
Other compensation: $318,874
Total: $16,072,880
4. Wayne DeVeydt, UnitedHealth Group
Salary: $284,615
Bonus: $1,200,000
Stock awards: $8,250,430
Option awards: $3,250,045
Non-equity incentive plan: $1,500,000
Other compensation: $97,594
Total: $14,582,684
5. Brian Newman, CVS Health
Salary: $696,970
Stock awards: $5,599,950
Option awards: $1,399,989
Non-equity incentive plan compensation: $1,562,000
Other compensation: $161,599
Total: $9,420,508
6. Mark Keim, Molina Healthcare
Salary: $1,000,000
Stock awards: $6,250,135
Other compensation: $312,049
Total: $7,562,184
7. Mark Kaye, Elevance Health
Salary: $938,462
Stock awards: $4,560,511
Option awards: $1,424,506
Non-equity incentive plan compensation: $974,123
Other compensation: $94,475
Total: $7,092,077
8. Thomas Cowhey, CVS Health (former CFO)
Salary: $420,833
Stock awards: $4,399,978
Option awards: $1,099,995
Other compensation: $791,235
Total: $6,715,138
Editor’s note: This list only reflects the compensation categories each person received.
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