Pharmacies nationwide are grappling with a significant hurdle as a cyberattack on UnitedHealth’s subsidiary, Change Healthcare, disrupts prescription processing services. The attack, discovered on Wednesday, has crippled systems responsible for handling prescription claims to insurance companies, leading to widespread delays and difficulties for patients trying to obtain their medications.
This disruption has affected various healthcare facilities, including the Naval Hospital in Camp Pendleton, California, and Evans Army Community Hospital in Colorado, where prescription processing has been severely impacted. Patients are experiencing setbacks in accessing their medications, with only urgent and emergency prescriptions being filled at limited capacities.
The cyberattack has also reached beyond healthcare institutions, affecting popular prescription discount service GoodRx and smaller pharmacies like Moffet Drug in Kansas. UnitedHealth suspects the involvement of hackers sponsored by a foreign entity and has taken prompt action to isolate the affected systems and involve law enforcement.
While investigations into the attack are ongoing, Change Healthcare assures that it appears to be contained within its network, with other systems within UnitedHealth Group remaining operational. However, the disruption is expected to persist throughout the day, with updates to follow as more information becomes available.
