ASA Urges Continued Congressional Scrutiny of United Health Groups Change Healthcare Shutdown

Yesterday, the American Society of Anesthesiologists urged the U.S. Senate Finance Committee to hold United Health Group (UHG) and Change Healthcare (CHC) accountable for the companies’ response to the recent system cyberattack. The formal statement -- submitted to Committee members in advance of the hearing titled “Hacking America’s Health Care: Assessing the Change Healthcare Cyber Attack and What’s Next?”--  highlighted the inadequate response of UHG and CHC, which United owns through its subsidiary, Optum. The statement noted that due to UHG and CHC’s market dominance, the cyberattack created challenges to the entire health care ecosystem, including the financial solvency of ASA members and their practices. The statement also noted that despite its resources, CHC and UHG failed to effectively communicate with anesthesia groups sufficiently early or consistently once the cyberattack was discovered and failed to provide appropriate direct economic assistance. “CHC and UHG should have done more to support physician practices during this difficult time and ensured that our nation’s health care system was better protected,” concludes the statement. 

Watch a recording of the Committee hearing here.
Read ASA’s formal statement to the Department of Health and Human Services on this cybersecurity incident here.