Security News > 2024 > March > White House and lawmakers increase pressure on UnitedHealth to ease providers' pain

The Biden administration and US lawmakers are turning up the pressure on UnitedHealth group to ease medical providers' pain after the ransomware attack on Change Healthcare, by expediting payments to hospitals, physicians and pharmacists - among other tactics.

In a letter addressed to "Health care leaders" on Sunday, the heads of both the US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Department of Labor called on UnitedHealth Group to "Take responsibility to ensure no provider is compromised by their cash flow challenges" following the cyber attack, and expedite funds to all impacted providers.

Lawmakers have heavily criticized the embattled health care IT provider and the federal government's response to its troubles.

"UnitedHealth Group botched basic cyber security practices by allowing a single hack to create chaos across the nation's health care system and should be held accountable. At the same time, federal regulators have been asleep at the wheel on cyber security."

Wyden called on DHHS to establish "Tough, mandatory cyber security standards for the health care industry," that involve regular auditing to ensure that both providers and technology vendors are protecting patient data.

DHHS has issued voluntary cyber security performance goals for hospitals and other health care organizations - but has stopped short of mandating minimum security requirements even as ransomware and other cyber attacks against the industry have skyrocketed.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/03/12/white_house_pressures_unitedhealth/