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The largest insurer may jeopardize the national security of the country.
A major cyber attack on a unit of UnitedHealth Group Inc. resulted in a system failure used to transfer data between medical institutions and insurance companies. As a result, drug sales were disrupted in some pharmacies. The incident is reported on the Optum portal from UnitedHealth.
The company and affected organizations assume that the cyberattack was carried out by government hackers. Penetration into the systems of the Change Healthcare subsidiary was discovered on February 21, prompting UnitedHealth to disconnect them from other market participants. UnitedHealth, the largest insurance company in the United States, claims that only Change Healthcare was affected by the cyber attack, and all other systems are functioning normally.
Change Healthcare processes a significant amount of medical information, acting as an intermediary in the transfer of data on insurance claims between insurance companies and medical institutions. The company serves "the vast majority of payers and service providers in the United States." Change Healthcare plays a key role in the $1.5 trillion U.S. health insurance market.
The company works with law enforcement agencies and cybersecurity experts, but cannot specify a time frame for restoring the service. It is not yet known whether the attack will affect the company's financial results.
The extent of the violations caused by the attack on UnitedHealth is still unknown. Some organizations reported difficulties confirming insurance coverage at pharmacies, which may delay the delivery or replenishment of medicines.
In response to the cyberattack, the American Hospital Association (AHA) called on its institutions to disconnect from Change Healthcare systems as a precautionary measure, pointing out possible significant and pervasive impacts on the revenue cycle, some healthcare technologies, and clinical approvals.
Two major U.S. drugstore chains, CVS and the Walgreens Boots Alliance, reported minor disruptions. CVS continues to dispense medications, although in some cases it cannot process insurance claims, while Walgreens said that most prescriptions are issued without interference, and procedures have been developed for a small proportion of affected cases that minimize delays or interruptions.
Last year, UnitedHealthcare was accused of using a flawed artificial intelligence algorithm that refutes doctors ' decisions and unreasonably denies critical medical care to elderly patients. This leads to patients being discharged prematurely from rehabilitation programs and medical facilities, forcing them to spend their savings on essential care that should be covered by their publicly funded Medicare Advantage plan.
A major cyber attack on a unit of UnitedHealth Group Inc. resulted in a system failure used to transfer data between medical institutions and insurance companies. As a result, drug sales were disrupted in some pharmacies. The incident is reported on the Optum portal from UnitedHealth.
The company and affected organizations assume that the cyberattack was carried out by government hackers. Penetration into the systems of the Change Healthcare subsidiary was discovered on February 21, prompting UnitedHealth to disconnect them from other market participants. UnitedHealth, the largest insurance company in the United States, claims that only Change Healthcare was affected by the cyber attack, and all other systems are functioning normally.
Change Healthcare processes a significant amount of medical information, acting as an intermediary in the transfer of data on insurance claims between insurance companies and medical institutions. The company serves "the vast majority of payers and service providers in the United States." Change Healthcare plays a key role in the $1.5 trillion U.S. health insurance market.
The company works with law enforcement agencies and cybersecurity experts, but cannot specify a time frame for restoring the service. It is not yet known whether the attack will affect the company's financial results.
The extent of the violations caused by the attack on UnitedHealth is still unknown. Some organizations reported difficulties confirming insurance coverage at pharmacies, which may delay the delivery or replenishment of medicines.
In response to the cyberattack, the American Hospital Association (AHA) called on its institutions to disconnect from Change Healthcare systems as a precautionary measure, pointing out possible significant and pervasive impacts on the revenue cycle, some healthcare technologies, and clinical approvals.
Two major U.S. drugstore chains, CVS and the Walgreens Boots Alliance, reported minor disruptions. CVS continues to dispense medications, although in some cases it cannot process insurance claims, while Walgreens said that most prescriptions are issued without interference, and procedures have been developed for a small proportion of affected cases that minimize delays or interruptions.
Last year, UnitedHealthcare was accused of using a flawed artificial intelligence algorithm that refutes doctors ' decisions and unreasonably denies critical medical care to elderly patients. This leads to patients being discharged prematurely from rehabilitation programs and medical facilities, forcing them to spend their savings on essential care that should be covered by their publicly funded Medicare Advantage plan.
