In an official communication, Change Healthcare, a leading health tech organization, disclosed being the target of a cyberattack that disrupted its network operations. Prompt measures were taken to isolate systems and mitigate potential threats to partners and patients.
The company announced that it is dealing with a cyber security incident that led to network disruptions and necessitated immediate disconnection of affected systems. Full service restoration was not expected until the end of the day.
Initiated early Tuesday morning East Coast time, details of the attack can be followed on the company’s incident tracking page.
While the exact nature of the attack remains unpublicized, TechCrunch observed that many login pages for Change Healthcare were not operational or available at the time of inquiry.
Pharmacies, particularly in Michigan, reported service outages due to the cyberattack, as per coverage by the Huron Daily Tribune.
On social media, Scheurer Health mentioned their inability to process insurance-based prescriptions, attributing this to a “nationwide outage” tied to Change Healthcare.
A prominent figure in U.S. healthcare technology, Change Healthcare is instrumental in executing patient payments across the nation. The company claims to manage over 15 billion healthcare transactions yearly, influencing approximately 33% of patient records in the U.S.
UnitedHealth Group’s Optum and Change Healthcare solidified their merger in a substantial acquisition valued at $7.8 billion last year, granting Optum extensive access to a vast array of American patient data. Optum’s services extend to providing valuable technological resources and data to insurers and health care entities.
Optum and Change Healthcare are subsidiaries under the umbrella of UnitedHealth Group. Inquires made to Optum by TechCrunch received no response. Similarly, spokespeople for both Change Healthcare and UnitedHealth Group were unresponsive.
If you are an insider at Change Healthcare with knowledge about the data breach, please reach out. Contact options include Signal and WhatsApp at +1 646-755-8849, email at zack.whittaker@techcrunch.com, or via SecureDrop for document submissions.
FAQs about Change Healthcare Cyberattack
- What happened to Change Healthcare?
- Change Healthcare experienced a network interruption as a result of a cyber security issue, leading them to disconnect their systems to prevent further damage.
- How has this cyberattack affected services?
- The attack caused significant outages, impeding the ability of pharmacies to process prescriptions through insurance.
- Has patient data been compromised in the attack?
- The company has not released specific details regarding the nature of the cyberattack or whether patient data was compromised.
- Who owns Change Healthcare?
- Change Healthcare is owned by UnitedHealth Group and functions alongside its sister company, Optum.
- Where can people get more information about the status of this issue?
- Updates about the status of the incident can be followed on Change Healthcare’s incident tracking page.
Conclusion
The cyberattack on Change Healthcare underscores the vulnerability of healthcare technology infrastructures to cyber threats. As a critical health tech provider that manages a vast quantity of patient transactions and data, the breach poses serious concerns about security and privacy within the healthcare sector. With services disrupted and potential risks to patient data, the incident serves as a reminder of the need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive health information. Stakeholders and affected patients eagerly await further details and reassurances regarding the integrity of their data and the resumption of normal operations.
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