NikoHealth, provider of all-in-one, cloud-based home medical equipment business process automation software, has expanded its relationship with Availity following the Change Healthcare cyberattack in late February.
“Recognizing the critical impact of the outage caused by Change Healthcare and the significant disruption experienced by HME/DME providers in their billing and revenue cycle processes, NikoHealth took proactive measures,” the company said in a March 6 announcement. “Engaging with several clearinghouse vendors, NikoHealth sought the ideal partner to ensure seamless business continuity for its valued customers. After thorough consideration and evaluation, NikoHealth is pleased to announce the expansion of its collaboration with Availity as a clearinghouse partner.”
NikoHealth added, “Availity’s proven track record of reliability and innovation seamlessly aligns with NikoHealth’s mission to empower its customers with integrated functionality for streamlined electronic claims transactions. NikoHealth assures its clients that this strategic partnership with Availity will mitigate the impact of the recent disruption and fortify its capabilities to navigate future challenges.”
“Our clients’ ongoing business operations and operational continuity are our utmost priorities,” NikoHealth CEO Michael Kutsak said. “In light of the recent challenges posed by the Change Healthcare outage, we took decisive action to secure a robust solution that aligns with our commitment to reliability and agility. Partnering with Availity exemplifies our proactive approach and unwavering dedication to supporting our clients through any unforeseen circumstances.”
Following the Feb. 21 cyberattack, Change Healthcare, part of UnitedHealth, disconnected its systems. While that move was made to prevent further damage, it also caused industry-wide ripple effects, as claims transactions, processing and payments have been delayed, thus slowing cash flows to health-care providers and suppliers.
NikoHealth’s software provides billing and revenue cycle management, inventory, ordering, document management, intelligent scheduling, analytics and reporting tools. The company is based in Middle Township, New Jersey.