UnitedHealth Group, a major health insurance company, revealed in a regulatory filing on Thursday that its subsidiary Change Healthcare was compromised in a cybersecurity incident likely orchestrated by government-backed hackers.
The ongoing cyber incident has disrupted Change Healthcare’s systems, impacting its ability to provide patient billing services across the U.S. healthcare system. The company processes billions of healthcare transactions annually and handles a significant portion of U.S. patient records.
While UnitedHealth Group did not attribute the cyberattack to a specific nation or government, it stated that it has engaged leading security experts, collaborated with law enforcement agencies, and notified affected customers, clients, and government entities.
As a result of the cyberattack, pharmacies nationwide are experiencing difficulties fulfilling prescriptions through patients’ insurance, as Change Healthcare plays a critical role in the billing process.
Despite efforts to address the situation, UnitedHealth Group has not provided a timeframe for when Change Healthcare’s systems will be fully restored. The specific nature of the cyberattack has not been disclosed by Change Healthcare at this time.
The incident underscores the significant impact of cyber threats on essential healthcare services and highlights the ongoing challenges faced by organizations in safeguarding sensitive patient data.
For more insights and updates, visit our KI Design blog here.
Stay connected with us on Twitter for the latest news and discussions.
