Adrian Johnson
TLDR:
- Change Healthcare experiencing cyber security issue causing delays at pharmacies across the U.S.
- Patients with insurance providers affiliated with Change Healthcare may have to pay out-of-pocket for medication.
The health tech company, Change Healthcare, is facing a cyber security issue that has led to delays at pharmacies nationwide. The problem was first reported on February 21 on Change Healthcare’s incident page. The company took immediate action by disconnecting all its systems after being informed of the cyber attack, which was initially expected to last only 24 hours.
Several insurance networks, including Hometown Health, a provider under Renown Health, have been impacted by this security breach. As a result, patients with insurance providers linked to Change Healthcare are being asked to pay out-of-pocket for medications until the issue is resolved. The situation has caused disruptions in the healthcare industry and raised concerns about patient care.
In an update posted on Saturday morning, Change Healthcare mentioned that systems of Optum, UnitedHealthcare, and UnitedHealth Group had not been affected by the issue. The company is actively working on resolving the problem and promised to provide more information as soon as possible. The cyber security incident has highlighted the vulnerability of healthcare systems to cyber attacks and the importance of robust security measures in safeguarding sensitive patient information.
