UnitedHealth’s New Insurance CEO Wants to Fix Company’s Image

Inside UnitedHealth Group Inc., the company is a force for good. Employees often describe its work as a “mission.”

The public perception, though, is that it’s a faceless giant denying care to boost profits. That narrative exploded through a barrage of sinister social media posts after executive Brian Thompson was killed on his way to an investor meeting in December.

UnitedHealth is trying to bridge that gap.

In a series of interviews conducted in mid-March, top leaders said they need to communicate better with their customers to make the system easier for people to navigate.

Tim Noel, who ...