March 6, 2024 at 09:21AM
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is actively supporting healthcare providers following a ransomware attack on Change Healthcare, ensuring patient care is maintained. HHS is working with various agencies to expedite claims and payments, encourage payers to waive requirements, and provide information on accelerated payment opportunities. The ransomware gang behind the attack is reported to have received a $22 million ransom.
From the meeting notes, the key takeaways are:
1. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is taking actions to assist healthcare providers in continuing to serve patients following a ransomware attack on Change Healthcare by the BlackCat ransomware gang.
2. Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, handles billions of healthcare transactions per year and remains impacted by the cyberattack two weeks later.
3. The disruption has affected thousands of pharmacies and providers across the US, leading to potential cash flow concerns arising from the inability to submit claims and receive payments.
4. HHS has prioritized ensuring that the healthcare system is not disrupted and patients continue to receive care, taking direct action and working to support the important needs of the healthcare community.
5. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has instructed Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) to expedite claims for electronic data interchange (EDI) enrollments, accept paper claims, and encourage providers to contact their MAC for changing clearinghouses.
6. CMS is also recommending payers to waive or expedite solutions for certain requirements, and it will recommend removing or relaxing certain authorization and requirements until the outages are resolved.
7. HHS will continue to communicate with the healthcare sector, closely monitor UnitedHealth Group’s response to the cyberattack, and promote a transparent, robust response while working to close any remaining gaps.
8. Change Healthcare reportedly paid a $22 million ransom to the BlackCat cybercrime group.
These takeaways capture the key points from the meeting notes and provide a clear summary of the ongoing situation and the actions being taken to address the impact on healthcare operations.