Recognizing the severity of the cyberattack, HHS has been actively engaged in regular discussions with UHG leadership, state partners, and a wide array of external stakeholders to assess the incident's impacts comprehensively and facilitate an effective response. The department has underscored its expectation that UHG mobilizes all necessary resources to maintain uninterrupted operations for healthcare providers and appreciates the company's ongoing efforts to meet this critical need.

In an unparalleled move to address the incident, HHS has spearheaded interagency coordination efforts involving the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the White House, and other pivotal agencies. This collaboration aims to furnish the healthcare industry with credible, actionable threat intelligence, enhancing the sector's preparedness and response capabilities.

As part of its immediate response, HHS has announced several key measures being implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to support affected healthcare providers. These measures include facilitating changes in clearinghouses for claims processing, expediting electronic data interchange (EDI) enrollments, and urging Medicare Advantage organizations and Part D sponsors to ease prior authorization and other requirements temporarily. CMS is also advocating for similar accommodations from Medicaid and CHIP managed care plans, emphasizing the need for swift, flexible solutions to ensure providers' financial stability and operational continuity.

In addition to these steps, CMS is preparing to accept paper claims submissions to accommodate providers facing electronic billing challenges and is exploring the provision of accelerated payments to facilities experiencing significant cash flow issues due to the cyberattack. These actions reflect CMS's commitment to maintaining access to care and minimizing financial strain on healthcare providers during this critical time.

The cyberattack on Change Healthcare serves as a stark reminder of the healthcare ecosystem's interconnectedness and the pressing need to fortify cybersecurity resilience across the sector. In light of this, HHS highlights its recent release of a concept paper detailing a robust cybersecurity strategy for the healthcare industry. The strategy emphasizes enhancing resilience, developing supports and incentives for cybersecurity improvements, increasing sector accountability, and fostering enhanced coordination among stakeholders.

HHS remains dedicated to ongoing communication and collaboration with the healthcare community, UHG, and industry partners to monitor the situation, support recovery efforts, and strengthen cybersecurity measures across the board. The department also seizes this moment to urge all healthcare providers, technology vendors, and ecosystem participants to prioritize and intensify their cybersecurity efforts, underscoring the critical importance of safeguarding the nation's healthcare infrastructure against future threats.