Paubox Weekly: UnitedHealth advanced over $2B to providers following cyberattack

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Today’s Paubox Weekly is 524 words - a 2 minute read.

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1. UnitedHealth advanced over $2B to providers following cyberattack

UnitedHealth Group has provided over $2 billion in advanced payments to healthcare providers affected by the cyberattack on Change Healthcare.

Going deeper: The ransomware group Blackcat allegedly orchestrated the cyberattack on Change Healthcare. UHG now faces multiple class-action lawsuits for alleged negligence.

Medical claims software will begin rolling out on Monday

2. Coffee with Dean Hoffman (Rula) in Napa, CA

Paubox CEO Hoala Greevy caught up with Dean Hoffman of Rula over coffee today at Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company in Napa, CA.

About Rula: Dean is the IT Manager at Rula. Their mission is to create a world where every person can access high-quality mental health care.

What we learned: Dean is interested in becoming an early adopter of Paubox Texting and loves our monthly Zoom social mixers.

Visiting customers is one of the best parts of the job

3. Orlando VA medical center breach exposes thousands of vets info

A former employee emailed documents containing sensitive details of veterans to their personal email account on their last day of employment.

Why it matters: This incident is not the VA's first; a similar breach occurred in September 2020, affecting approximately 46,000 veterans.

9,076 veterans were notified about the breach

4. CMS updates policy on texting patient information

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a memorandum in February updating the policy on texting patient information and orders.

Why it matters: Recognizing advancements in secure texting technology and integration capabilities with EHRs, the CMS has now authorized the use of HIPAA compliant secure texting platforms for both patient information and orders.

Must still comply with Conditions of Participation (CoPs)

5. What violates HIPAA in email?

Cybercriminals send an estimated 3.4 million phishing emails, each intended to appear as though they are from trusted senders.

Why it matters: Email breaches are one of the most common types of breach, as reported to the Office for Civil Rights.

Common causes of email violations

Community links

• Northeast Orthopedics suffers nationwide data breach. Link
• New Florida bill could protect companies impacted by data breaches. Link
• What is PHI disclosure? Link
• Navigating CMS UPIC audits. Link
• Using text messages to promote cancer screening. Link
• How text messages can improve cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in individuals with depression. Link
• FAQs: All about HIPAA email marketing. Link
• Can dentists send emails to patients about new dental procedures? Link
• A guide to HIPAA and access controls. Link
• Are medical technologists covered entities? Link

Good reads from around the web

• Unpatchable vulnerability in Apple chip leaks secret encryption keys. Link
• OCR updates HIPAA guidance on use of online tracking technologies. Link
• Why UnitedHealth, Change Healthcare were targeted by ransomware hackers. Link
• 3 ways businesses can overcome the cybersecurity skills shortage. Link
• UnitedHealth hack takes toll on healthcare providers to the nation's poor. Link
• Mental health support strategies for healthcare workers. Link

What happened last week