By Amina Niasse and Manas Mishra

Health Insurance Companies Rethink Executive Risks After Murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Health insurance companies are reassessing the risks for their top executives following the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Wednesday in Manhattan. Both UnitedHealth and rival CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) have removed photos of their leadership teams from their websites in response to the incident.

UnitedHealthcare, part of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH), is the largest U.S. insurer, while CVS operates Aetna, another leading insurer.

Thompson was killed in a targeted attack as he approached the Hilton hotel for the company's annual investor conference. The assailant, whose crime was captured on video, remains at large, and the New York City Police Department has reported no known motive for the murder.

Robert D’Amico, founder of Sierra One Consulting and a former FBI employee, stated that the removal of photos indicates, "These companies are hearing what experts like me have been saying about how easy it is to identify and then find their executives."

UnitedHealth removed Thompson's and other executives' photos from its website on Wednesday. A spokesperson did not respond to inquiries regarding the motivation behind this action. CVS took down pictures of all its top executives on Thursday but declined to comment.

Both D'Amico and another security expert reported that companies are likely to increase physical security for executives in light of this incident.

The healthcare sector has been evaluating new security measures in the past 18 months due to increasing conflict and potential violent crimes, according to Glen Kucera, president of Enhanced Protection Services at security firm Allied Universal.

Prior to the shooting, risk assessments were primarily conducted for medical practices and healthcare providers, which have faced rising hostility since the COVID-19 pandemic.

In line with broader consumer-facing industries, the demand for protection in hospitals and healthcare facilities is growing, said Garett Seivold, chief content and communications officer at the International Security Ligue.

Assessing risks entails monitoring social media for threats, the nature of which has yet to be publicly detailed in Thompson's case, Kucera noted.

Thompson's wife, Paulette, informed NBC News that he had received threats related to his position and “coverage” but did not have further details. A spokesperson for UnitedHealthcare had no immediate comment on the potential threats against Thompson.

Kucera suggested that many executives may now feel at risk, prompting a reassessment of security protocols.

D’Amico anticipates corporate boards will evaluate their security plans for executives, which could involve considering the size of security detail in relation to costs. He cited billionaires like Elon Musk, who maintain a significant security presence.

He noted the rise of angry social media posts targeting health insurance companies and their employees following Thompson's murder, warning that “there's more hate out there for them and their executives.”

Consumer dissatisfaction with health insurance in the U.S. has existed for years, culminating in the 2010 Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. This year, insurers have struggled to manage costs and have increased their use of medical management, complicating access to services like surgeries and medications.

While it remains unclear if Thompson's profession influenced his death, the shooting reflects escalating tensions within the healthcare industry.

Cigna (NYSE:CI), Elevance, Centene (NYSE:CNC), and Molina have not responded to requests about any changes to their security protocols.

Health insurers typically do not disclose specifics of their executive security expenditures in financial regulatory filings.