Member Alert: Additional Guidance Provided from UHG on Change Healthcare Cyber Attack

UnitedHealthcare has provided additional guidance on their handling of the cyber security incident impacting Change Healthcare since late February.

Change Healthcare is used by provider offices around the country for claims submission and other administrative functions. The attack has affected billing and care-authorization portals, with patients reporting delays in getting prescriptions and hospitals experiencing issues with processing claims, billing patients and checking insurance coverage for care.

UnitedHealthcare provided the following responses to the Kentucky Department of Insurance (DOI) yesterday in response to a complaint filed March 12 with the DOI.

1. Will you be allowing for advance payment of claims not properly filed?
a. Programs have been established to help with temporary funding assistance. Information can be accessed through the following link:
Temporary Funding Assistance Program for Providers (optum.com)

2. Will you be relaxing rules concerning claim filing deadlines?
a. UnitedHealthcare is continuing to assess claim filing deadlines for its commercial business.

3. Will you be relaxing rules concerning pre-authorizations for any services?
a. UnitedHealthcare is continuing to assess the need for relaxing prior authorizations for services.

4. Will you be relaxing rules concerning appeal filing deadlines for internal or external appeals?
a. UnitedHealthcare is continuing to assess appeal filing deadlines for its commercial business.

5. Has your company already made any changes due to this ransomware attack related to the points above?
a. Our UnitedHealthcare systems remain safe and were not affected by this issue. We regularly scan those environments and continue to validate that they were not impacted.

6. Have you issued any guidance to healthcare providers or insured? Provide a copy of that guidance.
a. UnitedHealth Group Update on Change Healthcare Cyber Attack- UnitedHealth Group

b. Temporary Assistance Program for Providers (optum.com)
Members are also advised to contact the number on the back of their ID cards if they have additional questions.

The full letter is available here.