Change Healthcare, a health tech company, has been hit by a cyberattack. This is causing big issues across the United States. Many hospitals and pharmacies are not getting paid, and patients are not able to get their medication.
Change Healthcare is part of a large healthcare company, UnitedHealth Group. The cyberattack was first noticed on February 21. The company rapidly disconnected the affected systems to prevent further problems. However, many insurance firms are unable to pay claims, as highlighted by Amrish Patel, a pharmacist in Texas. He mentioned that many older patients are struggling to buy their necessary medication due to the hack.
Every year, Change Healthcare processes 15 billion transactions. It carries out tasks linked to one in three patient records in the U.S. This shows the scale of the problem from the cyberattack.
John Riggi, from the American Hospital Association, said the cyberattack has affected every hospital in the U.S. in some way. He emphasized that this is a serious threat to people’s lives, not just a minor data issue.
A Russian group known as Blackcat has said they did the cyberattack. They claim to have stolen over six terabytes of data. Among these are supposedly sensitive medical records.
UnitedHealth told CBS News on Thursday that Change Healthcare has confirmed the cyberattack. The company continues to work closely with law enforcement and third-party experts to handle the issue. The investigation has so far not shown any signs of other UnitedHealth subsidiaries being affected by the hack.
Change Healthcare has come up with temporary solutions for payment. However, they are still dealing with the aftermath of the hack a week later. The issue has been especially hard for smaller hospitals which have smaller reserve funds. There is no update yet on when they believe the situation will be resolved. The FBI is also conducting an investigation.
Vocabulary List:
- Cyberattack (noun): An attempt to damagedisruptor gain unauthorized access to computer systemsnetworksor devices.
- Pharmacist (noun): A healthcare professional who specializes in the preparation and dispensing of drugs.
- Insurance Firms (noun): Companies that provide coverage in exchange for premiums and offer financial protection against specified risks.
- Subsidiaries (noun): Companies controlled by a parent companywhich holds a majority stake in their ownership.
- Reserve Funds (noun): Funds set aside by an organization to cover future expenses or financial obligations.
- Investigation (noun): The process of carefully examining facts or events to gather information and uncover the truth.
