Relief For Rev Cycles? UnitedHealth Advances $2B to Providers Affected by Change HealthCare

The funds will be directed toward providers whose revenue cycle operations were disrupted by last month's cyberattack.

Almost a month after the Change Healthcare cyberattack that affected providers across the country, UnitedHealth is advancing over $2 billion to providers whose revenue cycle operations were disrupted.

Since the initial attack in late February, the organization and federal officials have been investigating and making efforts to provide relief to affected providers. On March 18, they announced they would be releasing medical claims preparation software, with future stages of service restoration occurring in phases.

Change Healthcare’s electronic payments platform was restored on March 15 and 99% of pharmacy network services were restored on March 7.

“The company recognizes the high level of fragmentation of the U.S. health system can result in uneven experiences, therefore it continues to enhance and expand funding to support to make it easier for care providers to access funding to help at no cost,” a statement from UnitedHealth Group said.

In addition to the money, UnitedHealth will be suspending prior authorizations for select outpatient services along with utilization reviews of inpatient admissions for Medicare Advantage plans.

What This Means For Revenue Cycle Leaders

The growing number of cyberattacks has many executives on edge, and with the growth and evolution of revenue cycle technology solutions, cybersecurity has quickly become a priority. Yet, while having safeguards in place can be a proactive protective measure, it’s important for organizations to have a business continuity plan in place to avoid major disruptions.

“A lot of companies may not have a plan, or an updated plan, or may not have communicated it and had it tested,” Joi Lee, manager of cyber governance, risk, and compliance for Moffitt Cancer Center, previously told HealthLeaders.

“We’re in the business of treating patients, so a lot of the time, if you don’t have people that are focused on this type of stuff and know its importance, it gets thrown by the wayside. It’s not important until you need it.”

Providers affected by the cyberattack who are in need of financial assistance can register for the program here. Those requiring additional support should complete this form or call 1-877-702-3253.