eHealth Announces CEO Succession
Rhea-AI Summary
eHealth (NASDAQ: EHTH), a leading online health insurance marketplace, has announced a significant leadership transition. Derrick Duke, current CEO of Magellan Health, will join eHealth as CEO on September 18, 2025, succeeding Fran Soistman, who will retire but remain on the Board of Directors.
Duke brings extensive healthcare management experience from Magellan Health, where he served as CEO and previously held dual roles as COO and CFO. The transition process will begin on August 4, 2025, with Soistman staying on as an executive advisor through December 31, 2025, to ensure a smooth handover.
Positive
- Appointment of experienced healthcare executive Derrick Duke with strong financial and operational background
- Smooth leadership transition planned with outgoing CEO remaining as advisor and board member
- Continuity maintained through structured transition period from August to December 2025
- Strong performance noted in 2024 Annual Enrollment Period under current leadership
Negative
- Departure of successful CEO Fran Soistman who led recent business transformation
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, EHTH declined 7.40%, reflecting a notable negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Derrick Duke Appointed Chief Executive Officer After Transition Period
Fran Soistman to Retire, Remain on eHealth Board of Directors
Derrick Duke currently serves as CEO of Magellan Health, a leading national healthcare management organization and subsidiary of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC). Previously, he held senior leadership roles at Magellan, including the dual roles of Chief Operating and Chief Financial Officer where he led the finance organization, business transformation initiatives, and behavioral health clinical services.
"We are thrilled to welcome Derrick Duke as eHealth's next CEO. He brings a rare combination of financial acumen, operational expertise, and deep knowledge of the healthcare and insurance landscape – exactly what's needed to lead eHealth into its next phase of profitable growth," said Beth Brooke, Chair of eHealth's Board of Directors. "At Magellan, Derrick's leadership during a key transitional period helped streamline operations, drive efficiency, and position the company for long-term growth. The Board is confident that under his seasoned leadership, eHealth will continue to innovate and deliver exceptional value to our customers, stockholders, and stakeholders alike."
"I am honored to join eHealth at such a pivotal time in its journey. The company's proud legacy of helping millions of consumers navigate complex healthcare decisions is inspiring, and its modern, technology-driven approach to empowering consumers with the tools to make informed decisions resonates deeply with me. I'm excited to build on that foundation and work alongside eHealth's talented leadership team to drive even greater value to our customers," commented Derrick Duke.
"Leading eHealth has been a privilege, and I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together. I want to thank our employees, partners, and customers for their trust and commitment. I am confident that under Derrick's leadership, eHealth will continue to grow and evolve as a leader in helping individuals, families, and businesses find the right health coverage for their needs," commented Fran Soistman.
Beth Brooke continued, "On behalf of the entire eHealth Board and Company, I want to express our deepest gratitude to Fran for his outstanding leadership and contributions to eHealth. His vision and dedication have been instrumental in successfully transforming our business operations, evidenced in the Company's incredibly strong 2024 Annual Enrollment Period. The foundation that Fran has created in his transformational leadership will allow Derrick to take eHealth to even greater heights. Although Fran is retiring, we are thrilled that he will remain on our eHealth Board."
About Derrick Duke
Derrick Duke brings over 30 years of strategic leadership and financial expertise in the health insurance and managed care sectors. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer at Magellan Health, a leading national healthcare management firm, where he led strategic growth and operational execution following a rapid rise through the C-suite – first as Chief Risk Officer in 2020, and then as Chief Operating and Financial Officer in early 2022.
Before joining Magellan, Derrick spent nearly 16 years at HealthMarkets, one of the largest
Earlier in his career, Derrick was Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer at National Health Insurance (now part of Allstate Insurance), where he gained deep experience in investment strategy and insurer financial management.
Derrick holds a bachelor's degree in finance from Hardin-Simmons University and an MBA from the University of
About eHealth, Inc.
We're Matchmakers. For over 25 years, eHealth has helped millions of Americans find the healthcare coverage that fits their needs at a price they can afford. As a leading independent licensed insurance agency and advisor, eHealth offers access to over 180 health insurers, including national and regional companies.
For more information, visit eHealth.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Open positions can be found on our career page.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that are inherently subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including the date the incoming CEO is expected to join us as an employee, the expected date of the CEO transition, and our expectations regarding our business, industry and market trends, including market opportunity, consumer demand and our competitive advantage. The risks and uncertainties that could cause our results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include those described in eHealth's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on the investor relations page of eHealth's website at http://www.ehealthinsurance.com and on the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov.
All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to eHealth as of the date hereof, and eHealth does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by law.
Contact:
Media
Lara Sasken
Chief Communications Officer
pr@ehealth.com
Investors
Kate Sidorovich, CFA
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Development
investors@ehealth.com
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SOURCE eHealth, Inc.
FAQ
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