Nationwide Cyberattack Disrupts Healthcare Payments and Patient Care

A cyberattack targeting Change Healthcare, a major health technology provider and subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, has led to widespread disruptions in healthcare payments and prescription processing. Detected on February 21, the attack forced the immediate disconnection of affected systems. Pharmacies and hospitals nationwide are facing challenges, with many claims being rejected due to payment issues, severely impacting patients, especially the elderly on fixed incomes. Change Healthcare, responsible for processing 15 billion transactions and managing records for one-third of U.S. patients annually, confirms the severity of the attack’s impact on healthcare facilities across the country.

A Russian-speaking ransomware group, Blackcat, has claimed responsibility, boasting the theft of over six terabytes of sensitive medical data. Despite efforts to establish workarounds, many healthcare providers continue to struggle with billing complications, with smaller hospitals being particularly at risk due to limited cash reserves. UnitedHealth is collaborating with law enforcement and cybersecurity firms to address the breach, with no evidence yet of other subsidiaries being affected. The FBI is investigating, but there is no clear timeline for when systems will fully recover.