Health Insurance Most Likely Industry to Produce America's Top Paid CEO

Executives who want to head lists of America's best-paid CEOs should pursue positions in health insurance, according to a Huffington Post editorial by former CIGNA vice president Wendell Potter.

According to the report, seven major insurance companies — Aetna, CIGNA, Coventry, Health Net, Humana, UnitedHealth and Well Point — saw their stock prices close Thursday, April 21, at or near 52-week highs. UnitedHealth's shares jumped more than 8 percent that day.

Mr. Potter notes that Stephen Hemsley, president and CEO of UnitedHealth, "made out like a bandit" as his company enjoyed success on Thursday. Already at the top of Forbes 2011 "Executive Pay List," Mr. Hemsley's net worth jumped significantly as shares increased. Mr. Hemsley earned $101.96 million last year, $98.55 of which came from stock gains, mostly from exercising options, according to the report.

Read the Huffington Post editorial by Wendell Potter.

Read more on compensation:

-Miami's Jackson Health System Announces $590K Salary for New CEO

-Troubled Jackson Health System Could Offer New CEO Up to $975K

-Academic Hospitalists Earn $173K Less Than Non-Academic Counterparts

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