UnitedHealth Group is projected to hit record-breaking financial performance this year, despite internal turmoil following the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of its insurance division, according to a report.
Andrew Witty, the company's CEO, has been secretly reassuring senior leaders that UnitedHealth is on track to post unprecedented numbers by year-end, the Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend. Meanwhile, Witty is focusing on lifting employee morale amid widespread criticism surrounding Thompson's December 4 murder in New York City. "The environment we find ourselves in is a complex one, not one that was ever designed by anybody," Witty told workers on video on Dec. 23, according to the publication.
Company Boss Confident of Smashing Financial Records
UnitedHealth Group's revenue surpassed $299 billion through September, setting a new record and marking a rise from $277 billion during the same period last year, according to the Wall Street Journal.
UnitedHealth Group has found itself at the center of national attention after 26-year-old Ivy League graduate Luigi Mangione allegedly gunned down Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealthcare, on a Manhattan street in midtown.
Mangione, who has pleaded not guilty, is facing both state and federal charges linked to the deadly shooting. Authorities allegedly found a manifesto-like document in his possession, which contained strong criticisms of the health insurance industry.
The murder has sparked disturbing reactions, with some people celebrating Thompson's death or trying to justify it due to his role at the insurance company.
In response, UnitedHealth Group has reportedly taken major safety measures. Employees who feel unsafe have been permitted to work from home, and armed security has been deployed at the company's headquarters in Minnesota, according to a source familiar with the situation.
The company, which has a market valuation of nearly $465 billion and provides insurance to over 50 million people, has also been actively monitoring online platforms for any threatening content, including images of executives, another insider told the Wall Street Journal.
Making Workers Feel Safe
Certain messages have included threats directed at employees and executives, prompting UnitedHealth Group to ask media outlets to blur images of "wanted" posters featuring its leaders and to request the removal of threatening posts from social media platforms, according to the newspaper.
Witty, who took over in 2021, has been working to ease tensions during the tumultuous past month.
"Right now, people continue to have strong feelings inside the organization, maybe nervous, maybe anxious, maybe worried about security," he said during the Dec. 23 video call.
Despite generating billions in revenue, UnitedHealth Group and other insurers face concerns about increasing medical expenses. UnitedHealth is also grappling with employee complaints about burnout, low wages, and a system that often denies approval for necessary medical procedures, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Inna Sarkisyan, a former employee who worked at the company for 12 years, shared that while she "adored" Witty, she began to question his commitment to genuinely helping customers earlier this year.
"He had mentioned the quality standards, how quality affects everything," the auditor who lost her job earlier this year told the newspaper. "His investors, if they see a lot of mistakes, they won't trust him, and he has to make them happy.
"That's what got me, even though he was the one that used to talk about how it takes a village"
