Pittsburgh—Doctors across the U.S. are in trouble because of a cyberattack on Change Healthcare in February. A recent survey by the American Medical Association (AMA) shows that things are bad, with many doctors’ offices at risk of closing their doors.
“This is a huge problem,” says Dr. Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, AMA boss.
“The Change Healthcare hack messed things up big time, and now doctor offices have less money. This could mean patients can’t get the necessary care, and some offices might even have to shut down.”
The survey found a lot of issues:
- No Money Coming In: Over 33% of doctors said they have not been paid for treating patients.
- Bills Can’t Be Sent: Many doctors (32%) can’t even send bills to insurance companies, which means they can’t get paid at all.
- Running on Empty: 80% doctors said they’re losing money because they haven’t been paid. Many even use their own money (over half!) to keep their offices open.
Small practices, integral to many communities, are bearing the brunt of the crisis. The AMA highlights that offices with 10 doctors or less are particularly grappling with financial and operational challenges.
“These attacks have a snowball effect,” says Dr. Ehrenfeld.
“If doctors aren’t getting paid, they can’t afford to pay their staff, fix their equipment, or do what they need to care for patients. In the end, this hurts everyone.”
The AMA is calling for swift action from Change Healthcare and the government to address these issues. They are also advocating for the implementation of robust security systems to safeguard doctors from future cyberattacks.
The Change Healthcare hack is a wake-up call. It shows how important it is to keep the healthcare system safe. With patients and doctors both suffering, a quick and effective solution is needed to ensure everyone can still get the medical care they need.
Reference:
https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/sustainability/change-healthcare-cyberattack