Change Healthcare Data Breach
| Company | Change Healthcare |
|---|---|
| Breach Date | February 21, 2024 |
| Disclosure Date | October 22, 2024 |
| Records Affected | 100 million |
The Change Healthcare ransomware attack in February 2024 was one of the largest healthcare data breaches in U.S. history, affecting over 100 million individuals. The attack disrupted healthcare operations across the country for weeks and exposed highly sensitive medical and financial data.
What Happened
On February 21, 2024, the ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware group infiltrated Change Healthcare's systems using stolen credentials for a Citrix remote access portal that lacked multi-factor authentication. Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, processes approximately 15 billion healthcare transactions annually. The attack caused widespread disruption to pharmacies, hospitals, and healthcare providers across the United States. UnitedHealth Group reportedly paid a $22 million ransom to the attackers. A second extortion attempt followed from a group called RansomHub, which claimed to have the stolen data.
What Data Was Exposed
- Health insurance member IDs and policy details
- Medical diagnoses and treatment information
- Medical record numbers
- Social Security numbers
- Billing and claims information
- Payment card and banking details
- Personal information (names, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers)
Who Is Affected
Over 100 million Americans were affected, making it the largest healthcare breach ever reported to the HHS Office for Civil Rights. Anyone who received healthcare services through providers using Change Healthcare's payment processing and claims management systems may be impacted.
How to Check If You Were Affected
Change Healthcare set up a dedicated support website and call center for affected individuals. Visit changehealthcaresupport.com or call their support line. UnitedHealth Group began sending notification letters to affected individuals starting in late 2024. Contact your healthcare provider to ask if they use Change Healthcare for claims processing.
What You Should Do Now
- Enroll in the free credit monitoring and identity protection offered by Change Healthcare
- Place a credit freeze with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion
- Monitor your Explanation of Benefits statements for unfamiliar medical services
- Request your medical records to check for unauthorized entries
- File a complaint with HHS if you believe your health data was misused
- Be alert for medical identity theft and fraudulent insurance claims
- Consider placing a fraud alert on your credit file
Last updated: February 10, 2026