Zach Wendling
LINCOLN — Nebraska hospital patients should be aware of scammers as some have sought to capitalize after a cyberattack on one of the nation’s largest health care technology companies.
The Nebraska Hospital Association said Monday that it has received reports of scammers contacting patients after the Feb. 21 attack on Change Healthcare, which most Nebraska hospitals use for financial and clinical authorization services.
Scammers are claiming to be hospital representatives from Nebraska or surrounding areas, NHA said, telling patients they’re entitled to a full refund if they provide their credit card number.
“Nebraskans need to be vigilant for both them and their family members,” Jeremy Nordquist, president of the NHA, said in a statement. “If you are at all skeptical regarding the nature of a phone call, hang up and call your hospital directly.”
NHA said Nebraska hospitals will never ask for a credit card number by phone to initiate a refund of payment.
The hospital association said last week that patients may experience longer wait times for authorizations for procedures and delays in resolution of claims.
Affected hospital procedures include:
- Prior authorizations for pharmaceuticals, procedures and surgeries.
- Insurance verification for inpatient stays.
- Precise cost estimates for patients.
- Patient billing.
“Our hospitals are doing their best to manage through these challenges as quickly and efficiently as possible,” Nordquist said last week.
Brian Noonan, a spokesperson for the association, said the longer problems continue, the more likely there will be longer wait times. Different hospitals will experience different impacts.
Some of the bigger facilities impacted, according to Noonan:
- Regional West (Scottsbluff).
- Faith Regional (Norfolk).
- CHI Health.
- Methodist.
- Columbus Community Hospital.