US govt urges interim payments for healthcare providers after UnitedHealth cyberattack

Healthcare payment urged: The US government has recommended that states offer interim payments to healthcare providers impacted by the recent cyberattack on UnitedHealth's Change Healthcare unit. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has provided new guidance, permitting states to begin making interim payments retroactively from the date of the cyber incident that disrupted claims processing.

CMS is also reopening its system to provide additional incentives for affected healthcare providers. Earlier, CMS had announced plans to expedite Medicare and Medicaid payments to hospitals affected by the cyberattack, while also urging Medicare Advantage plans to offer advance funding to the most severely impacted providers.

The US Department of Health and Human Services has initiated an investigation into the cyber incident, which was attributed to the "Blackcat" ransomware group and caused disruption to claims processing nationwide. UnitedHealth anticipates restoring services for medical claims and payments platforms by mid-March.

(With Reuters Inputs)