UnitedHealth Group Incorporated announced the appointment of Madeline S. Bell as an independent director to its Board of Directors, effective November 3, 2026. The appointment was disclosed in a press release issued on November 9, 2026, and is detailed in the company’s Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Ms. Bell brings decades of executive leadership experience to the board, having served as the president and chief executive officer of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). She joined CHOP in 1983 as a pediatric staff nurse and held the role of chief operating officer from 2007 to 2015 before ascending to CEO in 2015. She retired from CHOP last month.
Ms. Bell currently serves as a board director for Comcast. Her previous roles include chairing the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and serving as the Honorary Consul of Spain. She holds a Master of Science degree in organizational dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Villanova University.
UnitedHealth Group CEO and executive board chairman Stephen J. Hemsley stated that Bell’s experience in caring for patients and leading clinicians will bring an important perspective to the board. The company noted that Ms. Bell has not yet been appointed to any committees of the Board of Directors. Her compensation will be determined in accordance with the company’s standard compensation program for non-employee directors, as described in the 2026 proxy statement.
