UnitedHealth Tackles $14 Billion Claims Backlog From Cyberattack

Cyberattack Impact and Recovery - Change Healthcare will begin processing over $14 billion in claims following a cyberattack that disrupted services [1] - UnitedHealth Group (UHG), the parent company, expects its largest clearinghouses to be back online soon, enabling the flow of these claims [1] - The cyberattack occurred on February 21, causing nationwide disruptions to the healthcare payment system and prompting a federal investigation [1] - UHG has provided over $2.5 billion in assistance payments to healthcare providers affected by the disruption [1] Assistance and Service Restoration - UHG continues to offer temporary funding assistance at no cost to providers, particularly smaller practices struggling due to the disruption [2] - Critical services at Change Healthcare were restored approximately three weeks after the attack [2] Regulatory Investigation - The U S Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is investigating the breach due to its unprecedented magnitude [2] - The investigation will focus on whether protected health information was breached and compliance with HIPAA rules by Change Healthcare and UHG [3] - UHG has stated it will cooperate fully with the investigation [3] Industry Response and Recommendations - The cyberattack is attributed to the BlackCat ransomware group, highlighting vulnerabilities in healthcare supply chains [3] - The American Hospital Association recommends implementing immutable backup technology to enhance network security and prevent future disruptions [3]