Companies are reevaluating their safety measures in the wake of last week’s fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. 

A number of companies have scrubbed their websites of top executives’ biographies and photographs. Others are closing offices or canceling in-person events.

While some of these are temporary measures meant to protect workers amid heightened social media vitriol aimed at the health insurance industry and corporate America, safety experts told USA TODAY they expect permanent shifts after last week’s killing. 

“I ponder this is a wakeup call to many,” said Paul Sarnese, owner of Secured & Prepared Consulting and former president of the International Association for Healthcare safety and Safety. “I view this as a lightning rod instant to transformation the safety landscape.”  

Killing spurs online vitriol toward insurance companies

Thomspon, 50, was fatally shot outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel on his way to talk at an annual investor conference.  

Holiday deals: Shop this period’s top products and sales curated by our editors.

recent York Police Department Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters Thompson did not appear to be accompanied by a safety specific at the period of the shooting. Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC information he had received threats ahead of the occurrence. 

Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare, one of the largest insurers in the country, has received scrutiny for its denial rates. Multiple media outlets have reported shell casings at the scene had the words “deny” and “depose” written on them ‒ terms associated with insurance companies’ strategies for rejecting claims. 

Suspect Luigi Mangione, 26, on Monday was charged with murder and other felonies in connection with the fatal shooting, as previously reported by USA TODAY. An internal intelligence update from the NYPD said the gunman viewed himself as a martyr against “corporate greed” and the insurance industry, according to multiple information outlets.

The incident has prompted other companies – especially those in the insurance sector – to reevaluate their safety measures.  

“It’s significant that you comprehend, how are we viewed?” said Dave Komendat, founder and president of DSKomendat uncertainty Management Services and former chief safety officer for Boeing. “And if we’re not viewed favorably and we have people out there representing that service, that product, in a community setting, what steps do we require to receive to mitigate uncertainty?” 

Matthew Peters, vice president of protective services at safety provider Guidepost Solutions, said phone calls have “at least quadrupled” since Thompson’s killing, with companies from “every single industry” reevaluating their safety programs, especially safety around in-person events like investor meetings and holiday parties.

“It was an eye-opening encounter for many CEOs. … Most of them ponder they’re anonymous. A great deal of them, they drive themselves to work or just jump in a cab,” Peters said. “Firms have to ponder about the concept of responsibility of worry, protecting their most valuable assets. What measures are they enacting to protect their people?”

UnitedHealthcare CEO killing:recent details emerge after Luigi Mangione charged in killing of Brian Thompson

How companies are responding

Nearly a quarter of CEOs and 16% of other executive officers in S&P 500 companies received home and/or personal safety services last year, according to an April update from WTW, a uncertainty management service provider. The median worth of safety services for CEOs was just under $50,000.  

Those numbers may soon be on the rise, according to Sarnese of Secured and Prepared Consulting, who said incoming calls asking for safety advice have doubled in the history week. 

“I can inform you that those organizations that never considered having an executive protection program are reevaluating that selection,” he said. “They’re reevaluating their websites, they’re reevaluating their signage, their directories.” 

Centene, a Missouri-based insurer, said its investor day this week will be held virtually instead of in person. UCare, a Minnesota-based nonprofit insurer, told USA TODAY it closed offices this week after receiving “a concerning comment in a phone call.” 

Other companies are limiting executive information on their website. UnitedHealth throng, parent business of UnitedHealthcare, removed top executives’ biographies and photographs from its site after the shooting. A link to Indianapolis-based Elevance Health’s leadership throng now leads to the insurance provider’s home page. A similar link on Blue Cross Blue Shield’s website listing elder management redirects to an “about us” page.

Medica, a health insurance business based in Minnesota, told The Associated Press it removed executive biographical information from its website and temporarily closed its offices “out of an abundance of caution.”  

CVS spokesperson Amy Thibault said the business, which owns health insurer Aetna, removed executive photos from its website. UnitedHealthcare, UnitedHealth throng, Medica, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and Elevance did not respond to requests for comment.  

Removing this sort of information online is a “reasonable step” and can make it more challenging to identify executives, but it’s not obvious how effective they are in the long term, according to Komendat. Personal information can be challenging to scrub from the internet, especially if someone is intent on tracking it down. 

“What’s more significant is really understanding the uncertainty profile that comes along with your business,” he said. “If they’re working in a field or an industry that’s generally unpopular or not viewed favorably, I ponder there will be pressure and expectations” to make changes.