News Briefs
✦ Brian Thompson will become the new CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the health insurance arm of United- Health Group. Thompson has worked for UnitedHealth since 2004, “and most recently was CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s government programs including the Medicare & Retirement and Community & State businesses,” according to a press release announcing the move. Thompson replaces Dirk McMahon, who was promoted to president and chief operating officer of UnitedHealth Group. New UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty also announced other major appointments, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Dan Schumacher, president and CEO of Optum, will be promoted to UnitedHealth Group’s chief strategy and growth officer; John Prince will move up from head of PBM OptumRx to lead all of Optum; and Heather Cianfrocco will take over OptumRx. Read more at https://bwnews.pr/3g7lw4P and http://strib.mn/3s2HCro.
✦ More than 500,000 people signed up for health plans using HealthCare.gov between Feb. 15 and March 31, during the pandemic special enrollment period (SEP), according to CMS. The SEP, which will run through Aug. 15, is a centerpiece of the Biden administration’s pandemic response and larger agenda to expand health insurance enrollment. CMS touted higher enrollment among disadvantaged communities in a press release announcing the enrollment results: “Of applicants who identified a race, 17% identified as Black — compared to about 11% in both 2020 and 2019 during the same time period. Among consumers requesting financial assistance, 41% report being at or slightly above the federal poverty level, compared to 38% in 2020 and 33% in 2019.” Read more at https://go.cms.gov/3d2Js7j.