UnitedHealth Group has paid more than $3 billion to providers following cyberattack

Technology
Thursday, March 28th, 2024 2:25 am EDT

UnitedHealth Group has disclosed that it has disbursed an additional $1 billion to providers affected by the Change Healthcare cyberattack, bringing the total amount advanced to over $3.3 billion. The cyberattack, discovered in February, impacted Change Healthcare, a unit of UnitedHealth Group, which processes a significant portion of the nation’s billing transactions. The attack led to disruptions in healthcare provider operations, including delays in prescription fulfillment and reimbursement processing. To aid affected providers, UnitedHealth introduced a temporary funding assistance program, with the advances not requiring repayment until claims processes normalize. Despite ongoing efforts to restore Change Healthcare’s systems, disruptions are expected to persist into April. UnitedHealth began processing a backlog of over $14 billion in claims, signaling a gradual return to normalcy. The attack, attributed to the ransomware group Blackcat, prompted a federal investigation and a reward offer of up to $10 million for information on the cyber actors. UnitedHealth is collaborating with law enforcement and cybersecurity firms to assess the attack’s impact and ensure data security. Amid mounting scrutiny, UnitedHealth faces inquiries from lawmakers regarding breach notifications, targeted infrastructure, and cybersecurity measures. The cyberattack’s unprecedented scale underscores the need for heightened cybersecurity measures within the healthcare industry.

For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/27/unitedhealth-group-paid-over-3-billion-to-providers-since-cyberattack.html