Headshots and biographical information of executives at Pittsburgh’s two major health insurers have been removed from their respective websites in the wake of the Dec. 4 killing of a top health insurance executive in Midtown Manhattan.
Photos of executive leaders and links to high-res downloads have been removed from the UPMC and UPMC Health Plan websites, and the “Leadership Team & Board” page no longer appears on the Highmark and HM Insurance Group websites.
The move follows a national trend after the brazen early morning killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Last week, security provider Guidepost Solutions told Semafor that its phones have been “ringing off the hook” since the shooting, as more health insurance providers seek additional security for their executives, and as the alleged shooter, Luigi Mangione, receives an outpouring of support from some members of the public.
Last week, news reports and photos emerged of a flier posted outside the Allegheny Health Network offices in Downtown Pittsburgh featuring a still image of Thompson’s killing accompanied by a quote attributed to Mr. Rogers: “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
Not all area health systems have scrubbed their executives' online presence. As of Monday, neither AHN nor Independent Health System, which comprises Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe, and Westmoreland Hospitals, has removed their executive leadership pages.
UPMC, a nonprofit corporation with 100,000 employees, is the largest private employer in Pennsylvania, and reports assets of $28 billion. Highmark, also a nonprofit, reported $11 billion in cash and investments and net assets of $10 billion at the end of 2023.
“Highmark Health has a robust security program in place across our health system and our health insurance plan – AHN and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield,” said Highmark spokesperson Aaron Billger. “We place the highest priority on the safety and security of our team members at every level, and we are continuously evaluating our processes and learning from experiences across the industry and elsewhere to be as effective as we can be."
"Both AHN and Highmark maintain high consumer satisfaction scores within the industry, and our sole mission is to improve health and wellness,” Billger said. “We believe that keeping the best interests of our patients and members at the center of every decision we make is the best strategy for engendering the good will of those we serve.”
UPMC did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
On Monday, Dec. 9, at a press conference in the basement of the Blair County Courthouse following Mangione’s arraignment, Gov. Josh Shapiro said the alleged shooter traveled from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh before his arrest earlier that morning at an Altoona-area McDonald’s; however, authorities have not yet provided evidence that Mangione spent time in Pittsburgh, and his whereabouts after allegedly leaving New York remain unknown.
