UnitedHealth Cyberattack Exposed Personal Data Of 190 Million Americans

In what has emerged as the largest healthcare data breach in the U.S., the UnitedHealth Group Inc. UNH cyberattack last year compromised the personal data of 190 million Americans.

The breach, which occurred in February 2024, caused widespread disruption in the U.S. healthcare system and delayed billions of dollars in payments to medical providers.

What Happened: The largest health insurer in the U.S. stated that there is no evidence of misuse of the exposed data or unauthorized access to electronic medical records.

UnitedHealth has informed most affected individuals about the breach. The final impact figures will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights.

The incident has sparked a Congressional inquiry, raising concerns about the risks of concentrating medical data within UnitedHealth.

Why It Matters: The cyberattack on UnitedHealth has had far-reaching consequences. In March 2024, the company disclosed that it had provided over $3.3 billion in advance payments to healthcare providers affected by the attack on its subsidiary, Change Healthcare.

This platform processes about 50% of U.S. medical claims, impacting nearly 900,000 physicians and numerous healthcare facilities. More than 40% of the aid was directed to safety net hospitals and health centers serving high-risk communities.

In April 2024, UnitedHealth admitted to paying a ransom to cybercriminals following the attack, highlighting the severity of the breach. The company has been working with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts to investigate the incident.

In May 2024, UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty assured a U.S. Senate panel that the company’s issues did not pose a systemic risk to the broader economy. Senators had raised concerns about the potential impact of the cyberattack on patients and healthcare providers.

In December 2024, the Nebraska Attorney General filed a lawsuit against UnitedHealth and its subsidiaries, alleging violations of consumer protection laws following the breach, which affected 575,000 Nebraskans.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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