Change Healthcare informs customers about its data breach – News

VIVA has entered into an agreement with Change Healthcare to provide certain electronic services on its behalf.As part of an ongoing investigation into the February 2024 ransomware attack and data breach at UnitedHealth Group’s Change Healthcare – an attack that affected healthcare facilities across the country — VIVA Health has been notified that approximately 22,000 customer records were affected by the breach.

VIVA contracts with Change Healthcare to provide certain electronic services on its behalf, including billing and payment processing. Change Healthcare also prints and sends various customer documents on behalf of VIVA.

Given the scale of the data breach, which Change Healthcare has reported is likely to affect a substantial portion of people in the United States, Change Healthcare has conducted a forensic investigation into the potentially compromised data in the months since the security incident and has only recently, customers were able to provide the names of affected individuals.

After learning of the Change Healthcare breach earlier this year, VIVA took immediate steps to safeguard customer data during the forensic investigation. Change Healthcare has begun notifying customers of the ransomware breach and VIVA customers have been or are in the process of being notified. Change Healthcare’s notification letters will include information about the data breach, the types of data potentially affected and resources for individuals to protect themselves, including instructions for signing up for two years of free identity protection and credit monitoring.

Change Healthcare’s investigation into the incident continues and may identify additional VIVA customers involved in the breach. These customers will then also receive a cancellation letter from Change Healthcare.

Although Change Healthcare has not been able to provide VIVA with exact data for every affected individual, it is common for demographic information to be available: first/last name, address, telephone number, date of birth, health plan ID number and in rare cases social security security. number – what these types of incidents should focus on.

As with any data breach incident, it is recommended that those involved remain vigilant and regularly review the explanations of benefit statements you receive from your health insurance company, statements from your health care providers, bank and credit card statements, and credit reports and tax returns to check for any unknown activity. If you see health care services that you did not receive and that are not listed on the benefit statement, contact your health insurance provider or doctor. If you notice any suspicious activity on your bank or credit card statements or on your tax returns, please contact your financial institution and/or credit card company or relevant authority immediately.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has made information about the data breach available here.

Change Healthcare has set up a dedicated call center to provide additional resources and information, including help signing up for two years of free identity theft protection and credit monitoring services. The call center’s toll-free number is 1-866-262-5342 and is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM CST. Customers can also drop by www.changecybersupport.com for more information.