US healthcare executives hit pay jackpot

Healthcare and pharmaceutical executives were four of the top 10 best paid executives in the United States in 2010, according to a report by GMI, an independent research firm that surveyed more than 2600 companies.

Pay for chief executives increased by 27% in 2010, the firm said. No bankers were on the top 10 list. Take home pay, the amount executives pay tax on, included annual compensation, increases in pension plans, profits from exercising stock options, and some other benefits, GMI said.

Several of the executives retired during 2010. …