A cyberattack on Change Healthcare, owned by UnitedHealth Group, has caused widespread disruptions and financial strain for U.S. healthcare providers.
The February 21, 2024, attack disabled key reimbursement systems for over nine days, disrupting transactions between healthcare providers and insurers.
Change Healthcare, crucial for healthcare payment and revenue management, handles 15 billion transactions and affects one-third of U.S. patient records annually.
The cyberattack has complicated patient eligibility checks, electronic prescription fills, and increased administrative tasks for healthcare workers.
AHA’s Response to the Cyberattack on Change Healthcare
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has described the incident as the most severe cyberattack against a U.S. healthcare organization to date.
The AHA is helping hospitals and patients hit by the outage, providing advice on Medicare payments, e-prescribing rules, and filing extensions for federally regulated health plans.
The cyberattack was attributed to the “Blackcat” ransomware group, contradicting initial suspicions of a nation-state associated cybersecurity threat actor.
UnitedHealth Group is working with law enforcement and consultants to gauge the cyberattack’s impact on customers and patients.
The outage could last weeks, prompting UnitedHealth Group to start a loan program for providers who can’t submit insurance claims.
The financial implications of the cyberattack extend beyond the immediate disruptions to healthcare operations.
Small healthcare providers, already vulnerable due to the economic impact of COVID-19, are experiencing additional financial pressures.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant decrease in patient volume and revenue for doctors, with a 14% drop in Medicare spending on physicians in 2020 compared to 2019.
In response to the cyberattack on Change Healthcare, the American Hospital Association (AHA) is coordinating with UnitedHealth Group and the federal government to minimize further disruptions
The extended outage of Change Healthcare’s systems may affect some health systems’ ability to pay salaries and buy equipment.
This cyberattack highlights the need for strong cybersecurity to protect patient data and maintain healthcare services.
Already strained by COVID-19, the healthcare industry now must recover from this major cyberattack and protect against future threats.