In the wake of the February 21 cyberattack on Change Healthcare, a pivotal player in the U.S. healthcare system, many home-based care providers were left reeling, with more questions than answers about what to do next and how to keep their businesses afloat. Prochant, a leading Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) service provider specializing in home-based care—including HME/DME, infusion pharmacy, and home health & hospice—was no exception. The incident affected a wide array of insurance companies, many of which had exclusive relationships with Change Healthcare. The fallout was immediate and widespread, touching virtually every one of our clients.Aware that our clients were in dire need, Prochant swiftly activated its Business Continuity Plan (BCP), bracing for what we anticipated would be a protracted and significant disruption. This wasn't just a minor technical glitch; it was an event that threatened the financial lifeline of our clients. Here's how we navigated through these challenging times:
Immediate Immobilization: The War Room
Understanding the critical nature of the situation, we established a "war room"—a dedicated task force that convened daily to address the evolving challenges head-on. This war room continues to be the nerve center of our response efforts, adapting strategies in real-time to ensure our clients' operations remain as unaffected as possible.
Comprehensive Impact Analysis
Our first course of action was to conduct a thorough analysis of the incident's impact on each of our clients, focusing initially on their top 10 insurance payers. This meticulous approach enabled us to understand the full scope of the outage's effects and to prioritize our response efforts effectively.
Finding Alternative Pathways
For payers impacted by the Change Healthcare outage, we didn't just wait for a resolution; we actively sought out alternatives. We were able to operationalize different clearinghouses for many payers, including Inovalon, Availity, and Waystar, thereby rerouting claims submissions through these channels wherever feasible.
Embracing Manual Processes
Where alternate clearinghouses weren't an option, we adapted. Our team began manually keying claims into payers' web portals, a labor-intensive but necessary measure to ensure continuity. Similarly, we obtained remittance advice through these portals, maintaining the flow of critical financial information.
The Last Resort: Paper Claims
In cases where digital avenues were completely blocked, we resorted to the most traditional method - paper claims. While far from ideal in the digital age, this approach ensured that even the most intractable cases could be processed, albeit at a slower pace.
Client-Centric Approach
In the aftermath of the cyberattack, our proactive communication and transparent operations were crucial. We offered our clients constant updates and alternative solutions to ensure the continuity of their services. The feedback from our clients was overwhelmingly positive, acknowledging the exceptional support and adaptability that Prochant demonstrated. Julie Rodriguez, Reimbursement Success Manager, shared a particularly telling piece of feedback: "A provider sent us an NPS score of 10—they couldn't be happier with the team, which they referred to as the best." Another valued client awarded us a score of 9, which, according to Patrick, the owner, is essentially a 10, remarking, "they have gone way beyond to help us.”
Lessons and Looking Forward
The cyberattack served as a stark reminder of the volatile cyber landscape we navigate. However, it also underscored Prochant's resilience, agility, and unwavering commitment to our clients. Rachel Driskell, VP of Client Success, stated, "I've been tremendously impressed with our team's ability to get outside of their comfort zone, keeping the clients' revenue as our top priority. I think that really demonstrates our partnership at the highest level." Moving forward, we are more equipped, vigilant, and determined to face any challenge, ensuring the prosperity of our clients' businesses despite potential obstacles.
Continuous Vigilance and Support
As of this writing, the outage at Change Healthcare persists, with the company indicating a phased restoration of medical claims processing starting the week of March 18. Until full functionality is restored, Prochant remains steadfast in our commitment to support our clients through this challenging period.
The Change Healthcare incident has underscored the vital importance of resilience and adaptability in the face of unforeseen challenges. At Prochant, we've not only managed to steer our clients through a potentially crippling crisis but also reinforced our role as a trusted, proactive partner in their ongoing success. The journey isn't over, but together, we are navigating these uncharted waters with determination and a clear focus on the well-being of the clients we serve.
Interested in learning more about Prochant's proactive response and the alternative solutions we implemented in response to the Change Healthcare cyberattack? Connect with us today.
Prochant is the only AI-driven reimbursement service provider in the home-based care industry. We deliver focused revenue cycle management (RCM) solutions to healthcare providers with 7 wholly-owned global delivery centers. Our expertise lies in providing end-to-end RCM for home-based care, infusion, and specialty pharmacies, consistently delivering exceptional results to some of the leading healthcare providers in the country. We harness specialized automation technology and deep industry knowledge to streamline the time-consuming and expensive reimbursement process. As a result, we help healthcare providers accelerate their collections, increase revenue, and reduce operational costs while managing risk. Prochant is HITRUST certified, the gold standard for HIPAA security. For more information, please visit prochant.com.