UnitedHealth Group has announced further leadership appointments as returning CEO Stephen Hemsley solidifies his executive team.
Robert Hunter, previously UnitedHealthcare's CEO of Medicare and retirement, will step into the expanded role of CEO of government programs. Meanwhile, veteran insurance leader Mike Cotton has been tapped to be CEO of UHC's Medicaid unit, the company confirmed to Fierce Healthcare.
In a LinkedIn post, Hunter said the shift will bring "our Medicare and Medicaid businesses together under one leadership structure."
"This integration is more than operational—it’s a strategic step forward for our businesses," Hunter wrote. "By aligning our teams and capabilities, we’re better positioned, both now and for the future, to meet the distinct needs of those we serve and to drive greater impact in communities across the country."
At the end of June, UnitedHealth Group revealed that Optum CEO Patrick Conway, M.D., will also take on the mantle of Optum Health CEO. The previous chief, Amar Desai, will shift to be president of Optum Integrated Care and vice-chairman of Optum Health.
Hemsley returned to the CEO chair at UnitedHealth earlier this year amid an uncharacteristic period of financial turmoil for the healthcare giant. The company warned that it was facing elevated medical costs that particularly impacted its Medicare Advantage and Optum Health businesses, both of which were later involved in leadership shakeups.
Other insurers have also begun to sound the alarm about utilization, with both Centene and Molina Healthcare forecasting a shift to worse-than-expected results.
Hemsley told shareholders that the company would review controversial practices, including billing in Medicare Advantage. The insurer is under a federal investigation for criminal fraud in Medicare.
The company will host its second-quarter earnings call, and its first since Hemsley assumed the CEO role, on July 29.