What 20 healthcare CEOs earned in 2019

Median pay for CEOs of the biggest U.S. companies hit a new record of $13.1 million in 2019, and the leaders of 11 healthcare companies earned $21 million or more last year, according to an analysis by The Wall Street Journal

Though most S&P 500 CEOs received raises of 8 percent or better last year, many companies across all industries have announced salary reductions for CEOs this year due to financial pressures linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Below are the 20 healthcare industry CEOs with the biggest packages in 2019, according to WSJ's analysis of compensation for leaders of S&P 500 companies. 

1. Larry J. Merlo, CVS Health: $36.5 million 

2. Daniel O'Day, Gilead Sciences: $29.1 million 

3. Miles D. White, Abbott Laboratories: $27.8 million 

4. Kenneth C. Frazier, Merck: $27.6 million 

5. Samuel N. Hazen, HCA Healthcare: $26.8 million 

6. Michael F. Neidorff, Centene: $26.4 million 

7. Alex Gorsky, Johnson & Johnson: $25.4 million 

8. Alan B. Miller, Universal Health Services: $24.5 million 

9. Richard A. Gonzalez, AbbVie: $21.6 million 

10. Leonard S. Schleifer, Regeneron: $21.5 million 

11. David A. Ricks, Eli Lilly: $21.3 million 

12. Robert A. Bradway, Amgen: $19.6 million 

13. David Cordani, Cigna: $19.3 million 

14. Stefano Pessina, Walgreens: $19.2 million 

15. Marc N. Casper, Thermo Fisher Scientific: $19 million 

16. Ludwig Hantson, Alexion Pharmaceuticals: $18.9 million 

T-16. David S. Wichmann, UnitedHealth: $18.9 million 

18. Giovanni Caforio, Bristol-Myers Squibb: $18.8 million 

19. Heather M. Bresch, Mylan: $18.5 million 

20. Michel Vounatsos, Biogen: $18.2 million 

Copyright © 2025 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.


You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information, please review our Privacy Policy
.
 

Articles We Think You'll Like