Who owns Change Healthcare now?

UnitedHealth Group bought Change Healthcare through its health services unit, Optum.

Key Deal Details

• Purchase Price: $13 billion total value (including about $8 billion in cash and $5 billion in assumed debt).
• Completion Date: October 3, 2022.
• Integration: Change Healthcare was merged directly into Optum's data and analytics division, OptumInsight.
• Regulatory Challenge: The U.S. Department of Justice tried to block the merger in federal court on antitrust grounds, but a federal judge ruled in favor of UnitedHealth in September 2022.

Change Healthcare faces multiple consolidated class-action lawsuits and state legal actions—centrally managed as In Re Change Healthcare, Inc. Customer Data Security Breach Litigation, MDL No. 3108 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota—following a massive ransomware cyberattack in February 2024.

Key Details of the Litigation

• The Trigger Event: A February 2024 cyberattack by the ransomware group ALPHV/BlackCat accessed Change Healthcare's network due to an unpatched portal lacking multi-factor authentication, compromising sensitive data for a vast portion of Americans.
• The Allegations: Plaintiffs (both impacted patients and healthcare providers) allege negligence, data protection failures, breach of implied contract, and violations of consumer protection laws and HIPAA.
• The Impact: The cyberattack and subsequent system shutdowns crippled nationwide healthcare billing, prescription processing, and provider cash flows for weeks and months.
• State Actions: Individual state attorneys general, including Nebraska and Iowa, have filed separate lawsuits against the company, citing severe consumer data exposure and delayed notifications to affected residents.

Change Healthcare is a legitimate, large-scale healthcare technology and payment processing company owned by UnitedHealth Group.

What Change Healthcare Does

• Acts as a clearinghouse that routes medical claims, eligibility checks, and prior authorizations between doctors, pharmacies, and insurance companies.
• Processes billions of medical claims annually, accounting for a major portion of the U.S. healthcare administrative network.

The Data Breach and Scams

• Real Breach: The company experienced a massive, legitimate cyberattack and data breach in February 2024 that exposed sensitive personal and health information for millions of Americans.
• Legitimate Letters: If you received an official notification letter in the mail regarding this breach, it is real. Change Healthcare has been offering affected individuals two years of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection.
• Impostor Scams: Because the breach is well-known, scammers often send fake text messages, emails, or make unsolicited phone calls pretending to be Change Healthcare.

How to Protect Yourself

• Do not click links or call numbers provided in unsolicited texts or emails.
• Verify any communication by going directly to your insurance provider's official website or calling the customer service number printed on the back of your insurance card.
• Monitor your credit reports and bank statements for unusual activity.

Yes, Change Healthcare still exists, but it is no longer an independent company. Optum acquired the business in October 2022.

✅ Ownership Status

• Acquired by Optum in 2022
• Operates under UnitedHealth Group
• Integrated into Optum operations

⚠️ Recent Disruptions

• Suffered a major ransomware attack in February 2024
• Caused severe nationwide medical billing delays
• Restored core functions after extensive outages

Virtually all major national health insurance companies, hundreds of regional plans, Medicare, and state Medicaid agencies use Change Healthcare as an electronic clearinghouse or technology partner.

Major National Insurers

• UnitedHealthcare: Owned by UnitedHealth Group, which also owns Change Healthcare's parent subsidiary, Optum.
• Aetna (CVS Health): Uses the network for claims management and eligibility verification.
• Cigna: Uses the system for payment integrity and transaction routing.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield: Various regional BCBS licensees utilize the platform for data analytics and provider connectivity.
• Humana: Relies on the platform for revenue cycle management.

Other Participating Networks

• Molina Healthcare
• Moda Health
• Numerous state Medicaid agencies, Medicare administrative contractors, local independent practice associations (IPAs), and third-party administrators (TPAs).