Consumer Driven Health Care

For the first time, UnitedHealth acknowledged that it paid ransom to "protect patient data," even though the feds have asked health-care organizations not to pay ransom so stealing patient data becomes less lucrative.

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission, Justice Department, and the Department of Health and Human Services launched an easily accessible online portal for the public to report health care practices that may harm competition.

After UnitedHealth was a no-show at the House hearing last week on the Change Healthcare cyberattack, UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty is now scheduled to testify before a House panel on May 1.

The tech firm has been a critical conduit for shuttling information between most of the nation's insurance companies and providers, but since the hack, some insurers must send forms in the mail, delaying payment substantially.

During the first congressional hearing on the Change Healthcare cyberattack on Tuesday, lawmakers zeroed in on the 2022 merger of UnitedHealth and Change Healthcare, which some members said was a national security risk.

This week, the Biden administration unveiled the Global Health Security Strategy, which will work with 50 partner nations that include developing countries, such as Haiti and Bangladesh, to prevent future global pandemics.