Show Me Your Kitties

In 2026, the CEOs of the largest US health insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) take home annual total compensation packages ranging from roughly $18 million to over $20 million. This total compensation typically includes a base salary of $1.3 million to $1.5 million, supplemented heavily by stock awards, options, and non-equity incentives.

The specific compensation figures for top industry executives reflect the most recently finalized data filed with the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission):

David Joyner (CVS Health): Earned total compensation of $21.2 million, which included a base salary of $1.5 million.

Gail Boudreaux (Elevance Health): Earned total compensation of approximately $22.8 million, which featured the highest base salary among industry peers at $1.6 million.

Sarah London (Centene): Received total remuneration of $19.5 million to $20.6 million, including a base salary of around $1.47 million.

Jim Rechtin (Humana): Collected a total compensation package of $18.8 million, driven primarily by performance-based stock and option awards.

But what about United, you ask? Good question - UnitedHealth Group’s highest-paid executive in 2025 was CEO Stephen Hemsley, bringing in nearly $61 million.

And then, of course, you need to pile on the salaries and assorted benefits of their seconds-in-command et al, plus all the hospital CEOs and bigwigs and you can easily see why healthcare in the US is so ruinously expensive - you're propping up all these greedy fuckers.