Optum Health names new CEO

Leadership Changes - Krista Nelson has been appointed as the new CEO of Optum Health, effective immediately, replacing Dr. Patrick Conway [1][2] - Dr. Patrick Conway will continue to serve as the CEO of Optum following this leadership change [3] Executive Background - Krista Nelson has been with UnitedHealthcare and UnitedHealth's payer arm since 2009, most recently overseeing the growth of government programs before becoming COO of Optum Health in May [2] - The company has seen rapid executive changes, including the recent departure of CFO Roger Connor and the appointment of Ben Eklo as his replacement [4] Performance Issues - Optum Health underperformed investor expectations in the third quarter, facing challenges related to rapid provider network expansion and reimbursement cuts from the Biden administration [5] - The new leadership is expected to implement changes such as transitioning to a direct physician employment model and cutting unprofitable members to improve performance [5]