New Mexico Cancer Center impacted weeks after ‘Change Healthcare’ cyber attack
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s been almost a month since a cyberattack crippled one of the nation’s biggest healthcare payments systems and some New Mexico clinics have had to make major changes just to stay operational. “We should never have all of our eggs in one basket,” said Dr. Barbara Mcaneny, with the New Mexico Cancer Center in northeast Albuquerque.
That’s the conclusion the New Mexico Cancer Center reached after the “change health care” cyber-attack in February. The attack has delayed the New Mexico CancerCcenter from receiving payments for dozens of medical costs that need to be processed through “Change Healthcare’s” system leaving the Cancer Center with less cash on hand. “Right now, the people who sell us our chemotherapy have not cut us off but if they did that would cause a huge amount of harm to patients,” said Dr. McAneny.
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Because of the attack on Change Health care’s system and a lack of reimbursements going to the cancer center, the Albuquerque practice says it now owes over $2 million to its supplier of chemotherapy medications. The center says they have enough in reserve to keep the staff and the doors open but chemotherapy is one of the biggest budget hitters.
Mcaneny says the cyber-attack is an example of problems that can emerge with healthcare industry consolidation. “We need our politicians now to recognize they need to scrutinize whether a merger or accusation could cause harm to people who depend on that,” said Dr. McAneny.
Change health care reportedly processes payments for one in every three U.S. medical patients. “Don’t let these markets consolidate until one company runs everything,” said Dr. McAneny.
The cancer center has since partnered with a new payment processor to help patients. “In the future, I want several options. I want to be able to say push the switch this way and we use Availity or push it that way and we use Change,” Dr. McAneny said.
