United’s Healthcare Oversight: A Hearing into the Change Healthcare Hack and its Impact on Patients
The upcoming May 1 hearing at the House Energy and Commerce oversight subcommittee will feature the first appearance of Witty, a key figure in the UnitedHealth Group. Previously, the panel’s health subcommittee held a hearing to address the recent hack that affected Change Healthcare, but no representatives from United participated in the discussion.
The cyberattack on Change Healthcare, the largest medical claims processor in the country, caused significant disruptions across the industry in February. Billions of dollars in payments to providers were delayed and clinics and hospitals were forced to halt operations. Despite this, lawmakers voiced frustration over the absence of United representatives during a recent hearing, particularly since the company acquired Change Healthcare in 2022. There were discussions about issuing a subpoena to compel United to provide testimony.
In a joint statement on Friday, Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and oversight subcommittee chair Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) expressed concerns about the financial struggles faced by Americans in the aftermath of the cyberattack. They highlighted its impact on individuals and smaller providers, emphasizing the threat it poses to critical access for patients.
During her upcoming Senate Finance Committee testimony, Witty is expected to shed light on events leading up to the cyberattack and its subsequent aftermath. The hearings serve as an opportunity for legislators to gather crucial information and insights into how such incidents can affect healthcare providers and patients alike.
