The AJC reports one of the most serious cyberattacks to ever hit the health care system is causing major disruptions in care at hospitals of all sizes in Georgia and across the country. Anna Adams, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Hospital Association, said the hack was “very serious” with far-reaching impacts at what appears to be quickly growing into a crisis. The American Hospital Association called it “the most significant cyberattack on the U.S. health care system in American history.”
Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, announced it had been hacked on Feb. 21. Change Healthcare is a company that plays a huge role in the U.S. health system, managing health care technology pipelines and processing 14 billion transactions a year. The effects of the hack have rippled across the country. According to the American Hospital Association, patients have struggled to get access to care and billions in payments to providers have been halted, threatening the financial viability of hospitals, health systems, physician offices and other providers.
The attack has also threatened the security of patients’ information and is delaying some prescriptions and paychecks for medical workers.
Change Healthcare announced that ransomware group ALPHV, or Blackcat, had claimed responsibility for the attack. Change Healthcare didn’t respond to a question about whether it paid or negotiated a ransom.
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