Humana CEO Bruce Broussard to step down next year

Humana CEO Bruce Broussard will step down from the role in the latter part of 2024, and the insurer has already found a successor.

Envision Healthcare CEO Jim Rechtin will join Humana as president and chief operating officer on Jan. 8, 2024, and then will take the CEO chair at the Medicare Advantage plan in the back half of the year. He will report to Broussard until the latter steps down, Humana said early Wednesday.

Broussard became CEO of Humana in 2013 after joining the company in 2011 and since then has steered a strategic shift from focusing solely on health insurance to an integrated model with a growing provider arm. 

Rechtin will bring his experience in the provider space to bear as Humana continues to focus on building out its CenterWell primary care business, Broussard said in the release.

"Jim has worked closely with clinicians in many different care settings," he said. "That experience will help support our growing clinical footprint and continuing evolution as a health care company and the important work we do in driving health outcomes for our customers.”

Rechtin comes to the role with 22 years of healthcare experience under his belt, Humana said. Before joining Envision, he was the president of OptumCare, UnitedHealth Group's sprawling provider business. Prior to Optum, he was also a leader at DaVita Medical Group.

“The board of directors has worked diligently to find the right leader who can take Humana into the next phase of growth and transformation,” said Kurt Hilzinger, chairman of the Humana board, in the release. “Jim brings a strong combination of operational, industry and CEO expertise. His first-hand experience leading through challenges and opportunities of a changing health care services continuum will help accelerate our integrated care strategy at pace.”

Humana said the leadership change is part of a "multi-year succession plan" and that Broussard will remain on as a strategic adviser through 2025.