Prescription orders disrupted after cyberattack on unit of largest US insurer

Prescription drug orders have been disrupted at thousands of pharmacies for nearly a week following a cyberattack on Change Healthcare, the technology unit of UnitedHealthcare, the largest insurer in the United States. 

Change Healthcare, a division of United's health services provider Optum, was attacked nearly a week ago on Wednesday. It appeared to be from a foreign country, The New York Times reported Monday, citing senior law enforcement officials.

The hackers may be working for the Russian-speaking ransomware gang known as "Blackcat" or "ALPHV," per Reuters.

UnitedHealth Group said in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing last week that it "identified a suspected nation-state associated cyber security threat actor [that] had gained access to some of the Change Healthcare information technology systems" and it immediately "isolated the impacted systems" to protect the network and contain the threat. 

The company said late Monday evening that it is working to restore the impacted systems, but the "disruption is expected to last at least through the day."

Change deals with about 15 billion healthcare transactions every year and handles as many as one-third of U.S. patient records, including prescriptions, dental and clinical care. 

Follow Madeleine Hubbard on X or Instagram.