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UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) has disclosed that it provided over $3.3 billion in advance payments to healthcare providers affected by a cyberattack on the insurance claims system of Change Healthcare.
According to the insurer, more than 40% of this amount has been directed towards safety net hospitals and federally qualified health centers catering to high-risk patients and communities.
Change Healthcare, a crucial platform handling approximately 50% of medical claims for nearly 900,000 physicians, 33,000 pharmacies, 5,500 hospitals, and 600 laboratories, fell victim to a cyberattack on February 21.
The attack, attributed to a hacking group identifying itself as “ALPHV” or “BlackCat,” has triggered financial strain among smaller healthcare providers and caused disruptions that UnitedHealth anticipates could take several months to resolve fully.
The Department of Health and Human Services is investigating the incident to determine if protected health data was breached.
Simultaneously, the State Department has offered rewards of up to $10 million for any information leading to the identification of the hacking group responsible.
This significant cyberattack on Change Healthcare has not only impacted the financial stability of numerous healthcare providers but has also raised concerns about data security within the healthcare industry.
UnitedHealth’s swift response in providing financial assistance underscores the severity of the situation and the importance of promptly mitigating its repercussions, Reuters noted.
In light of this cyber incident, stakeholders across the healthcare sector are reassessing their cybersecurity measures to prevent similar breaches in the future.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the evolving threat landscape facing organizations that handle sensitive data, prompting calls for enhanced cybersecurity protocols and greater collaboration among industry participants.
Wednesday, Medical Properties Trust Inc’s (NYSE:MPW) tenant Steward Health Care entered a deal to sell its nationwide physician network to UnitedHealth’s Optum Care unit.
Last week, UnitedHealth’s subsidiary Change Healthcare’s pharmacy network was reinstated following a cyberattack that had widespread repercussions on the nation’s healthcare infrastructure, heavily reliant on insurance.
Price Action: UNH shares are up 0.02% at $493.19 on the last check Thursday.
