A recent cyberattack targeting a major US health care technology company has sent shockwaves through the healthcare industry, jeopardizing patient information security and causing disruptions in medical services.
Change Healthcare, a company managing health care technology pipelines for UnitedHealth Group, revealed on Feb. 21 that it had fallen victim to a ransomware attack orchestrated by the group ALPHV, also known as Blackcat.
Disruption in Medical Services
The attack has had far-reaching consequences, affecting billing and care-authorization portals nationwide. One of the immediate impacts reported by the American Hospital Association is delays in prescription fulfillment, with affected pharmacies resorting to manual workaround solutions. However, the full extent of the attack’s repercussions is still unfolding.
Hospitals are encountering difficulties in processing claims, billing patients, and verifying insurance coverage. This disruption could also impede hospitals’ ability to pay their workers and procure essential medicines and supplies.
The Healthcare Association of New York State reported that health systems are struggling with various issues, including an inability to verify patient eligibility and coverage, communicate pharmacy prescriptions, and file claims, among others.
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Cyberattack Fallout Raises Long-Term Concerns
Health care providers are deeply concerned about the long-term implications of the cyberattack. Ben Teicher, a spokesperson for the American Hospital Association, emphasized that the attack’s impact is just beginning to be understood and could lead to hospitals being unable to meet payroll or patients experiencing delays in accessing essential services.
This cyberattack is part of a growing trend of ransomware attacks targeting the health care sector. The FBI, while acknowledging the incident, has not confirmed whether it is investigating. Cybersecurity experts warn that such attacks are becoming more common and urge organizations to strengthen their cybersecurity measures to prevent future breaches.
While efforts are being made to contain the attack and restore services, the prolonged downtime could have significant consequences for patient care.
Allan Liska, a threat intelligence analyst, emphasized that the longer the recovery takes, the greater the impact on patient care will be. The healthcare industry is now grappling with the immediate aftermath of this attack while also working to fortify its defenses against future cyber threats.
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