UnitedHealth promotes leader of retirement business to replace slain CEO Thompson

UnitedHealth Group will promote one of its top insurance executives to replace Brian Thompson, the slain CEO of its UnitedHealthcare arm. The company said Thursday that Tim Noel will become the next UnitedHealthcare leader. Noel most recently led UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare and retirement business. UnitedHealthcare is the nation’s largest insurer, covering more than 49 million people. It also is the biggest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, which are privately run versions of the government’s Medicare program mostly for people age 65 and over. The 50-year-old Thompson was fatally shot Dec. 4 in New York as he walked to UnitedHealth's investor meeting.