UnitedHealth Group, the parent company of Change Healthcare Systems, said it expects Change Healthcare to start restoring services starting on March 15, following a February cyberattack.
Payments to health-care providers and businesses were interrupted when Change Healthcare disconnected its systems after the Feb. 21 attack. The company provides claims processing, provider payments, authorizations, medical necessity reviews, and pharmacy claims transactions, among other services.
UnitedHealth, in a March 7 statement on its website, said electronic payment functionality was expected to “be available for connection beginning March 15.”
As for medical claims, UnitedHealth said, “We expect to begin testing and reestablish connectivity to our claims network and software on March 18, restoring service through that week.”
Pharmacy services such as electronic prescribing with claim submission and payment transmission were operable again by the time of the March 7 announcement, UnitedHealth added.
In a March 8 update to the industry, the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) noted that UnitedHealth had announced a partial suspension of prior authorizations. “For Medicare Advantage plans, including Dual Special Needs Plans, we are temporarily suspending prior authorizations for most outpatient services except for durable medical equipment, cosmetic procedures and Part B step therapies,” AAHomecare quoted the UnitedHealth announcement as stating.
HHS met with stakeholders
On March 12, representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, said they had met with stakeholders “to discuss concrete actions to mitigate harms to patients and providers caused by the cyberattack on Change Healthcare.”
“Secretary Becerra and Domestic Policy Advisor [Neera] Tanden made clear the government and private sector must work together to help providers make payroll and deliver timely care to the American people and that insurers help providers in this moment of challenge,” the HHS announcement said. “Since February 21, when HHS first learned of the Change Healthcare attack, it has been in near-constant communication with countless stakeholders to understand the impact on the ground and step in to help facilitate solutions with urgency. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure also announced that guidance to states is forthcoming to provide needed flexibilities for states to support Medicaid providers and suppliers during this time.”
The HHS announcement added, “Officials directly heard concerns from representatives of provider groups — hospitals, children’s health providers, physicians, infusion centers, pharmacies, community health centers, long-term care facilities — across the country on the broad impact the cyberattack on Change Healthcare has had on the health-care sector. They highlighted gaps in the response from payers, including the need for more immediate payment options, direct communications and relaxed billing and claims processing requirements.”
Attending the HHS meeting were representatives from a number of health-care organizations, including the American Pharmacists Association, Infusion Providers Association, Medicaid Health Plans of America, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, National Community Pharmacists Association, and UnitedHealth Group.
