The latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which consistently ranks the world's 500 richest people across industries, includes six leaders from U.S. healthcare.
The wealthiest person in U.S. healthcare as of Feb. 19 is Thomas Frist Jr., MD, co-founder of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare.
Below are billionaires in U.S. healthcare from the Bloomberg index of 500, with their net worth as of Feb. 19. (Find the complete index here.)
1. Thomas Frist Jr., MD
Total net worth: $27.4 billion
Year-to-date change: +$2.85 billion
Overall index ranking: 61
Dr. Frist co-founded HCA Healthcare, a for-profit hospital operator, with his father in the 1960s.
2. Carl Cook
Total net worth: $11.3 billion
YTD change: +739 million
Overall index ranking: 195
Mr. Cook is owner and CEO of Cook Group, a Bloomington, Ind.-based medical device manufacturer co-founded by his parents in the 1960s.
3. Patrick Soon-Shiong, MD
Total net worth: $10.6 billion
YTD change: +$184 million
Overall index ranking: 211
Dr. Soon-Shiong invented the cancer drug Abraxane. He is the founder of NantWorks, a network of healthcare, biotech and artificial intelligence startups.
4. Ronda Stryker
Total net worth: $9.45 billion
YTD change: +$660 million
Overall index ranking: 254
Ms. Stryker is the director of and the largest individual shareholder in Stryker Corp., a medical equipment company founded by her grandfather, Homer Stryker.
5. Pat Stryker
Total net worth: $7.61 billion
YTD change: +$715 million
Overall index ranking: 328
Ms. Stryker founded the Bohemian Foundation, which supports music, community, global and civic programs. She is a shareholder of Stryker Corp., a medical equipment company founded by her grandfather, Homer Stryker.
6. Reinhold Schmieding
Total net worth: $5.74 billion
YTD change: -$1.36 billion
Overall index ranking: 476
Mr. Schmieding founded Arthrex, a surgical device maker based in Naples, Fla.