March 14, 2024
Physician practices continue to struggle and identify workarounds after the late February Change Healthcare cyberattack.
On March 9, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that physicians who have been impacted by the cyberattack and resulting disruptions can request advanced Medicare payments to help with cash-flow disruptions. More information and eligibility criteria can be found here. (CMS has also posted FAQs.)
UnitedHealth Group has also established temporary funding assistance to affected practices. Details and updated information on the Change restoration is available on UHG’s cyber response page here.
On March 13, the U.S. Office for Civil Rights announced an investigation into whether the attached involved a breach of protected health information occurred and Change Healthcare’s and UHG’s compliance with HIPAA Rules.
The MMA will continue to monitor the situation, and we will provide additional updates to physicians as they become available.
April 9, 2026
An amended piece of legislation that would exempt buprenorphine from prior authorization (PA) was heard in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on April 9.
April 9, 2026
On April 9, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee heard a bill that would require coverage for psychiatric Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) services under Medical Assistance.
April 9, 2026
On April 9, the House Taxes Committee heard legislation focused on supporting the financial stability and ongoing operations of Hennepin Healthcare.