January 14, 2025 9:41:28 AM

In this photo illustration, the UnitedHealth Group logo is displayed on a smartphone screen.

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UnitedHealth Group Thursday explain The company expects to restore Change Healthcare’s systems by mid-March, providing a potential solution to the ransomware attack that has disrupted critical operations of the U.S. healthcare system.

The company reportedly discovered that cyber threat actors compromised part of Change Healthcare’s information technology network on February 21. a filing and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

UnitedHealth quarantined and disconnected the affected systems “immediately upon detection” of the threat, but in doing so disrupted pharmacy services, payment platforms and the medical claims process, the filing said.

UnitedHealth says Published on Thursday Electronic prescribing is “now fully functional” and payment transmission and claims submission are currently possible. The company said it expects electronic payment functionality to be restored on March 15 and will begin testing connections to its claims network and software on March 18.

The company said in a news release that there was “no indication” that any other United Health systems were compromised in the attack.

“We are committed to providing relief to those impacted by the malicious attack on the U.S. healthcare system,” UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty said in the release.

On Friday, UnitedHealth announced a temporary financial assistance package to help health care providers experiencing cash flow problems due to the attacks. The company said on Thursday it was offering “further financing solutions” to providers, which would mean “weekly upfront funding.”

UnitedHealth said it recognizes that the program does not meet the needs of every provider and is expanding the program to include those who “have exhausted all available connection options, as well as those who have chosen not to prepay funds to their providers during the The person with whom the payer cooperates”. Changing the period in which the health care system remains closed,” according to the press release.

UnitedHealth said the advance does not need to be repaid until the claims process returns to normal.

In late February, Change Healthcare said the ransomware group Blackcat was behind the cybersecurity attacks. Blackcat, also known as Noberus and ALPHV, steals sensitive data from organizations and threatens to make it public unless a ransom is paid. Released in December From the U.S. Department of Justice.

Ransomware attacks are particularly dangerous in healthcare, where they can cause direct harm to patient safety when lifesaving systems are paralyzed. In its press release, UnitedHealth did not specify what data was compromised in the attack or confirm whether the company paid the ransom to get its systems back up and running.

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