The wealthiest person in U.S. healthcare, as of Feb. 19, is Thomas Frist Jr., MD, co-founder of HCA Healthcare, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a ranking of the world’s 500 richest people across industries.
Total net worth: $45.4 billion
Year-to-date change: +$4.47 billion
Overall index ranking: 44
Dr. Frist is the major shareholder of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, a for-profit operator of about 2,400 care sites, including ASCs, freestanding emergency rooms and urgent care centers and physician clinics.
HCA reported $75.6 billion in total revenue from 2025, an increase of $5 billion from 2024. Net income attributable to HCA Healthcare was $6.8 billion in 2025, an increase of more than $1 billion over 2024.
Dr. Frist co-founded the publicly traded health system with his father in the 1960s. He took it public for the third time in 2011 after two management buyouts and owns over 25% of the company with his family. While Dr. Frist doesn’t have an executive position at HCA, his sons, Thomas Frist III and William Frist, are board members.
Forbes gave him a self-made score of seven and a philanthropy score of two. Read about its methodology here.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.