Key Points:
- UnitedHealth Group has disbursed an additional $1 billion to healthcare providers affected by the Change Healthcare cyberattack, bringing the total amount advanced to over $3.3 billion.
- Discovered in February, the cyber threat breached part of Change Healthcare’s IT network, affecting processes for more than 15 billion billing transactions annually, leading to temporary disruptions in prescription fulfillment and reimbursement for healthcare providers.
- Many healthcare providers, particularly smaller and mid-sized practices, faced significant financial challenges due to interruptions in cash flow caused by the cyberattack.
- UnitedHealth introduced a temporary funding assistance program to support providers affected by the cyberattack, with advances totaling $3.3 billion, repayable once claims flows return to normal.
- UnitedHealth has been working to restore Change Healthcare’s systems, but disruptions are expected to continue into April.