Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) this week called on health insurance companies to provide flexibility in administering healthcare benefits in response to a February 21 cyber attack on Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group. In the March 6 letter to health carriers, Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Mike Humphreys also asked for companies to consider providing financial support, where possible, to impacted providers, provider groups, and facilities.
"This attack has had a profound impact on the healthcare ecosystem, with impacts ranging from provider access to prior authorization processes to day-to-day reimbursements, potentially impacting Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth. While it does not appear that any insurers have been directly breached, insurance carriers have a real opportunity to be part of the solution to address this healthcare crisis," said Commissioner Humphreys. "Insurance carriers can help providers and facilities bridge hopefully short-term cash challenges through financial and business practice accommodations that add flexibilities to a system that often works through electronic processes. The flexibilities outlined in our letter will allow providers to focus on delivering the health care services insurers have promised to cover in their plans."
In the letter, PID asked insurers to update their website and develop materials directed towards their provider partners that would describe how to access any alternative mechanisms or processes designed to work around systems that may not currently be available, particularly those that facilitate prior authorizations, claims, and reimbursement processes.
PID will continue to monitor the impacts and communicate with the insurers and encourage continued dialogue among affected parties.
PID also encourages Pennsylvanians experiencing healthcare service delays, pharmacy challenges, eligibility or payment issues to contact PID's Bureau of Consumer Services at 1-877-881-6388 or online.
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