Providing the latest updates on the Change Healthcare Incident.

Prescriptions: 99% of Change Healthcare pharmacy network services, and we continue to work on remaining issues. However, there are still a few areas we continue to focus on:

• A small subset of pharmacies that are still offline.

• The disruption for infusion pharmacies.

• Challenges for some Medicaid fee-for-service customers. 

Coverages:
Change Healthcare's network has resumed processing medical claims following recent disruptions. Assurance resumed operations on March 18, and Relay Exchange, the largest clearinghouse, was back online by March 23. Efforts are underway to reconnect with payers, trading partners, and submitters to restore the claims network. While core systems are operational, cooperation from stakeholders is crucial to expedite claims processing. Key points for stakeholders:

• Payers: Change Healthcare is reaching out to Relay Exchange payers to gather necessary information for reconnection. Once details are obtained, credentials will be reset for prompt connectivity restoration.

• Trading partners: Many partners have initiated reconnection efforts, with encouragement for swift action. If a clearinghouse serves as the exclusive gateway, direct reconnection with Relay Exchange is encouraged.

• Assurance customers: Live users can begin processing claims, with ongoing expansion of payer access and updates to the online payer list.

• Direct submitters/channel partners: Reconnection is straightforward, with assistance provided for setting up secure connections. While some features like Connect Center are pending activation, reconnection remains a priority.

Efforts are focused on rebuilding connectivity to restore online claims and remittance flows for impacted customer groups, with a commitment to swiftly reinstating key features.

We are continuing to monitor the ongoing service outage with Change Healthcare. Updates are below.

Prescribing: As of 3/2/2024: The Change Healthcare issue has been resolved for prescribing both eprescribing and EPCS. Added information from Surescripts below:

On March 1, in an effort to restore E-Prescribing services with Surescripts, Change Healthcare launched a new E-Prescribing environment that is connected to servers that were not compromised. A third-party auditor reviewed the new E-Prescribing environment, and Surescripts validated the attestation provided by Change Healthcare. As of March 1, Change Healthcare resumed E-Prescribing operations in this new environment. 

On March 2, Surescripts resumed EPCS services for all pharmacies connected through Change Healthcare. 

Coverages: No further update at this time.

We will continue to update you with any further details we receive.

The service interruption with Change Healthcare is still ongoing.

Prescriptions:

Surescripts has provided the following update:

...On March 1, in an effort to restore E-Prescribing services with Surescripts, Change Healthcare launched a new E-Prescribing environment that is connected to servers that were not compromised.

A third-party auditor reviewed the new E-Prescribing environment, and Surescripts validated the attestation provided by Change Healthcare. As of March 1, Change Healthcare resumed E-Prescribing operations in this new environment.

Surescripts is still working to restore EPCS service for all pharmacies connected through Change Healthcare. A notification will be sent as soon as this issue is fully resolved....

Coverages:

No further updates at this time.

We will continue to keep you informed. Direct updates from Change Health Care can be found here: status.changehealthcare.com/incidents/hqpjz25fn3n7

The service interruption with Change Healthcare is still ongoing -

Prescriptions: Surescripts provided the following errors prescribers are seeing and the meaning behind them:

Until the issue is resolved, prescribers may receive an error message when sending E-Prescribing messages.

E-Prescribing messages that attempted fax delivery but were not successful because of a busy signal, transmission timeout or other fax related errors will receive an asynchronous 600 “Communication problem – try again later” error:

Message Type: Error

Code: 600

Description: Fax receipt could not be confirmed

Controlled substance prescriptions cannot be faxed and will result in an asynchronous 900 “Transaction rejected code”:

Message Type: Error

Code: 900

Upon receipt of this error message, prescribers should process controlled substance prescriptions in writing or via telephone. States with electronic prescribing mandates have exceptions that apply to cyber security incidents.

Coverages: No further updates at this time

We will continue to keep you informed

The service disruption with Change Health Care is still ongoing -

Prescribing : In an effort to support the continuous and safe delivery of controlled substance prescriptions, Surescripts has removed EPCS services for all pharmacies connected through Change Healthcare as of 10:30 a.m. ET on February 24. EHR vendors and health systems will need to download an updated pharmacy file, then prescribers will be able to determine the appropriate method to prescribe controlled substances.

Once Change Healthcare’s cyber security issue is resolved, Surescripts will restore EPCS service for all pharmacies connected through Change Healthcare.

Regular updates on this incident are being provided by Change Healthcare: https://status.changehealthcare.com/incidents/hqpjz25fn3n7.

Recommended Actions: All EHR vendors and health systems that utilize EPCS must download the pharmacy export file by 7:00 a.m. ET on February 25 and ensure it is made available to prescribers. Each EHR vendor and health system can see when their unique file is available in Workbench (Directory Manager—Directory Download) by 6:00 a.m. ET on February 25.

If the updated pharmacy file is not downloaded, prescribers will continue to receive an asynchronous 900 “Transaction rejected code” because controlled substance prescriptions cannot be faxed.

Coverages: No updates at this time.

We will continue to keep you informed.

We are diligently overseeing the current situation involving Change Healthcare.

• Prescriptions - No further update at this time

• Coverages - Update for ClaimMD users

  • Claim.MD is holding all transactions from sending/receiving to payers that use Change Healthcare for their EDI processing.
    Please note:

    • Only payer connections that require Change Healthcare are affected. All other payers are processing normally.

    • Claim.MD customers do not need to hold any data; we are holding all claims and other affected transactions from sending through Change Healthcare until it is determined to be safe to submit.

    • Realtime eligibility is returning connectivity errors for any payers that process through Change Healthcare.

    • Electronic Remittance Advice [ERA] are not returning from affected payers.

    • Claim Status updates are not returning from affected payers.

We will promptly communicate any further developments as they arise.

We are diligently overseeing the current situation involving Change Healthcare.

• Prescriptions - While some medications are being processed, we anticipate delays. Consequently, you may notice certain medications listed as pending.

• Coverages - there are no updates available at this time.

We will promptly communicate any further developments as they arise.

At the moment, prescriptions are being submitted successfully. We will continue to monitor until full resolution is confirmed by Change Healthcare

Optum (Change Healthcare) is currently facing a network disruption linked to a cybersecurity issue. Their specialists are actively addressing the situation. Upon detecting the intrusion, Optum promptly took steps to safeguard their partners and patients by disconnecting their systems to mitigate any potential additional impact. It is anticipated that the disruption will persist at least throughout the day.

This disruption may affect the following functionalities in Canvas:

• ePrescribing

• Eligibility

• Claims

Updates from Change can be found here: status.changehealthcare.com/incidents/hqpjz25fn3n7

We will provide updates as more information becomes available.