A van arrives near the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan where Brian Thompson, 50, was murdered. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)
CEO of UnitedHealth Group Andrew WItty said Thursday the company is confident in its ability to grow its business in fiscal 2025. His optimism comes shortly after the head of its insurance unit was shot and killed in New York, sparking controversy lively conversation about the role of business. health insurance industry in the United States.
“The people at UnitedHealth Group remain focused on making high-quality, affordable health care available to more people while making the health care system easier to navigate for patients and providers, positioning us good for growth in 2025,” Witty said in the company’s results. report Thursday.
The company reached $100.81 billion in revenue for the quarter. This is slightly lower than Wall Street’s estimate of $101.76 billion.
The company’s annual medical expense ratio, calculated by dividing the total medical expenses paid by an insurer by the total insurance premiums it collects – jumped to 85.5%, compared to 83.2% in 2023.
Premium revenue reached $76.48 billion for the fourth quarter, compared to $73.23 for the same period last year.
Andrew Witty, Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealth Group Inc., arrives during a Senate Finance Committee hearing in Washington, DC, Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
This marks the first quarter since United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed outside a New York hotel in early December in what police called a “premeditated and targeted attack.” As the manhunt for his killer began, many people expressed their frustration with the U.S. healthcare system online, with many even mocking Thompson’s murder.
Luigi Mangione was arrested and charged in connection with Thompson’s December 4 murder.
SOCIAL MEDIA USERS MOCK MURDER OF UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO
During the company’s earnings call, Witty thanked everyone for the “overwhelming expressions of condolences and support.” following Thompson’s murder.
A police officer stands guard outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, where Brian Thompson, 50, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed, police say, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital / Fox News)
“Many of you knew Brian personally. You knew how much he meant to all of us and how he dedicated his time to helping make the health care system work better for everyone who had the privilege to serve,” said Witty, adding that Thompson would “dive in with passion and care to find solutions to improve experiences, whether for an individual consumer, an employer or a public health agency.”
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He went on to say that there are hundreds of thousands of nurses, doctors, social workers, customer service specialists, pharmacists and technologists within the company “who share this commitment and are committed to moving this work forward.”
| Teleprinter | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNH | UNITEDHEALTH GROUP INC. | 518.12 | -25.23 |
-4.64% |
“The task before all of us—health care providers, payers, employers, pharmaceutical companies, and policymakers—is to continue to improve the quality and health outcomes of individuals and their families while reducing costs. costs for all,” Witty said.
