As the cyberattack on Change Healthcare continues to impact the healthcare industry, a key figure from UnitedHealth Group will be making their first appearance before Congress. The House Energy and Commerce oversight subcommittee will be hosting a hearing on May 1st, featuring Witty, who is a key figure in UnitedHealth Group. This marks a significant step forward in understanding the impact of the hack on individuals and smaller providers.
In a joint statement released by Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and oversight subcommittee chair Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), they expressed concerns about the financial struggles faced by Americans in the aftermath of the cyberattack. They emphasized how it poses a threat to critical access for patients, with billions of dollars in payments to providers delayed and Change Healthcare still recovering from the incident.
During the recent hearing, lawmakers voiced frustration over the absence of United representatives, particularly since they acquired Change Healthcare in 2022. There were discussions about issuing a subpoena to compel United to provide testimony. However, it is now expected that Witty will be testifying before the Senate Finance Committee in the near future, shedding light on the events leading up to the cyberattack and its subsequent aftermath.
The hearings serve as an opportunity for legislators to gather crucial information and insights into what happened during this incident and its impact on the health care industry as a whole.
