Change Healthcare Data Breach Victim Count Doubles to 190 Million, UnitedHealth Group Reports
TL/DR –
The Change Healthcare data breach, which occurred in February 2024, has affected approximately 190 million people, according to UnitedHealth Group. This is nearly double the number initially reported to regulators. Despite being the largest healthcare data breach in history, affecting over half of the U.S. population, UnitedHealth Group claims there has been no misuse of individuals’ information and no medical record databases have appeared in the breached data so far.
Victim Count in Change Healthcare Data Breach Rises to 190 Million
The victim count from the Change Healthcare data breach has soared to 190 million, almost doubling the figures reported to regulators in July 2024, according to UnitedHealth Group. They assure that most affected individuals have already been notified.
Confirmation of Final Count Pending
The final count will be confirmed and filed with the Office for Civil Rights in due course, projected UnitedHealth Group.
The Impact of the Cyberattack
As previously noted, the February 2024 cyberattack on Change Healthcare triggered extensive disruptions in the U.S. healthcare system. This significantly impacted revenue cycles and operations in the following months, from independent physician practices to large hospital systems.
BlackCat/ALPHV Ransomware Actors Claimed Responsibility
The BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware actors claimed responsibility for the attack. They allegedly exfiltrated six terabytes of data, leading UnitedHealth Group to pay a $22 million ransom to regain system access.
Change Healthcare Services Restored
As of Oct. 15, 2024, Change Healthcare’s services were reinstated and the company started collecting repayments from providers who benefited from their temporary funding assistance program.
Legal Action Initiated by Nebraska Attorney General
In December 2024, Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers became the first state attorney general to file a lawsuit against Change Healthcare following the cyberattack.
Largest Healthcare Data Breach in History
When the victim count was 100 million, it marked the largest healthcare data breach ever reported to regulators. The updated figure indicates that the Change Healthcare incident has impacted over half of the U.S. population, significantly expanding the breach’s reach.
No Misuse of Individuals’ Information Reported
UnitedHealth Group reported no evidence of misuse of individual’s information resulting from the breach, and no electronic medical record databases have been detected in the affected data during their analysis of the incident.
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