What’s Next Following the Change Healthcare Cyberattack?

April 10, 2024

The fallout from the Change Healthcare cyberattack continues to unfold as we approach two months since the attack disrupted care and operations across the U.S.

The cyberattack has prompted a strong reaction from the legislative and regulatory community about the next steps to add additional safeguards and resiliency across the health care sector. Here’s what you need to know:

• System status:  Optum continues to update its timeline to restore services. Many service lines have “partial service” available, while restoration of other products is still a work in progress. This includes the Clinical Exchange, which supports provider workflow enabling electronic prescribing, ordering, and other electronic health record integration.
• Physician survey:  A new physician survey from the American Medical Association found that 80 percent of respondents had reported lost revenue from unpaid claims and 85 percent had committed additional staff time and resources to complete revenue cycle tasks.
• Privacy focus:  Lawmakers are considering proposals that would regulate privacy, technology, and other sectors, eliminating the “existing patchwork of state comprehensive data privacy laws, and establishes robust enforcement mechanisms to hold violators accountable.
  • Draft legislation released this week in the House and Senate Commerce committees examines the use of patient information, algorithms in decision making, consent, and other safeguards.
  • Another proposal discussed last month would establish minimum cybersecurity standards that must be met for accelerated and advanced payments.
• Quotable:  “This bipartisan, bicameral draft legislation is the best opportunity we’ve had in decades to establish a national data privacy and security standard that gives people the right to control their personal information,”  House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Chair Maria Cantwell said this week.

HAP continues to monitor the latest Change Healthcare cybersecurity news and advocate on behalf of our members. Earlier this month, HAP created a one-stop shop to offer the latest resources online, including exclusive member-only information (login required).