Fallout expands from UHC owned Change Healthcare ransomware attack
Aetna, Humana, Elevance, and Kaiser Permanente all affected
Good morning and happy Friday. Welcome to the Friday Pulse Check from Fulcrum Strategies.
This week on the FLATLINING Podcast from Fulcrum Strategies, Ron and I had a really good discussion with Dr. Damian McHugh, an emergency medicine physician in Raleigh who now works for Curi.
The main topic of our discussion was physician burnout; burnout is one of the leading drivers of the impending doctor shortage that our country will face in the coming years.
Check it out here, listen on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts:
In the news:
Change Healthcare ransomware attack fallout
Change Healthcare is an electronic data interchange and claims clearinghouse that UnitedHealth Group purchased in 2022. The Federal Trade Commission sued to halt the aquisition, but ultimately lost in court. Last month, Change Healthcare was subject to a massive ransomware attack by the criminal group BlackCat. It appears that UnitedHealth Group paid BlackCat the $22 million ransom that it demanded.
Change Healthcare affect the ability for patients to pick up prescriptions, providers getting paid, and much more in the US healthcare system. Here are some updates on the fallout from the cyber attack:
Optum confirms BlackCat attack - Fierce Healthcare
UnitedHealthcare facing class action lawsuit by patients - Becker’s Payer Issues
Change Healthcare appears to pay $22 million ransom - Krebs on Security
Change Healthcare offering providers temporary loans until systems can be fixed - Medscape
LIVE UnitedHealth Group stock price: UNH 0.00%↑
Other articles of interest:
Weight Loss Drugs Threatened by US Effort to Contain China - Bloomberg
Excellus BCBS posts first loss in 15 years - WXXI News
Operating in the Red: Half of Rural Hospitals Lose Money, as Many Cut Services - KFF Health News
DSH cut delay, doctor pay fix, health center funding bill passes House - Modern Healthcare
Have a good weekend,
Matthew