Tim Noel has been named CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the company said in a brief statement shared with Becker’s Jan. 23. Mr. Noel was most recently CEO of UnitedHealthcare Medicare and Retirement.
Mr. Noel joined UnitedHealthcare in 2007, and has led its Medicare business since 2019. UnitedHealthcare has 7.8 million Medicare Advantage members.
“He brings unparalleled experience to this role with a proven track record and strong commitment to improving how healthcare works for consumers, physicians, employers, governments and our other partners,” the company said in its statement.
The appointment comes over a month after the death of previous CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot and killed outside the Manhattan hotel where the company’s investor conference was taking place Dec. 4.
The suspect in Mr. Thompson’s death, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder. He is awaiting trial.
Mr. Thompson was named CEO of UnitedHealthcare in 2021. He also previously led the company’s Medicare business before being appointed CEO.
Mr. Thompson, 50, first joined Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group in 2004. Before UnitedHealth, he held management roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Minnesota.
The shooting of the CEO of the country’s largest insurer unleashed a wave of vitriol against UnitedHealthcare and the insurance industry more broadly. Andrew Witty, CEO of UnitedHealth Group, told investors on a Jan. 16 call the U.S. healthcare system “needs to function better.”
“Healthcare in every country is complex, and the solutions are not simple, but you should expect this company to continue to work at it, finding what is needed, developing solutions, bringing those solutions to scale and making a positive impact on the lives of millions of people,” he said.
The attack on Mr. Thompson led insurers to tighten security around their executives and take certain measures to lower their public profiles.