Important Update on
Insurance Processing
Due to Recent
Cybersecurity Incident

Dear Valued Patients,

We hope this message finds you well. We are reaching out to inform you of a significant development that may affect your upcoming appointments and insurance billing due to a cybersecurity incident impacting Change Healthcare, a key technology provider in healthcare transactions and communications.

Change Healthcare, an integral part of Optum and owned by UnitedHealth Group, has recently experienced a cyber-attack. This incident has disrupted their services, which include processing payment claims between providers and insurance companies, as well as facilitating electronic prescriptions across the United States.

As a result of this situation, East Coast Telepsychiatry, along with numerous healthcare providers nationwide, must temporarily adjust the range of insurance providers we can accept. Specifically, we are unable to process claims for patients insured under UnitedHealthcare, UHC, OPTUM, UBH, Cigna, Evernorth or any related entities until further notice.

We understand the inconvenience and concern this may cause. To ensure you are informed about how this may directly impact you, we encourage you to review additional details about the cyber-attack. For a comprehensive understanding, searching “Change Healthcare Cyber-Attack” online will provide a wide array of information on the subject.

Effective immediately, we regret to inform you that patients with the aforementioned insurance will need to transition to self-pay for their appointments. Our adjusted rates during this period are $109 for follow-up visits and $159 for new patient appointments, reflecting a temporary reduction from our standard self-pay rates.

This decision was not made lightly. As a family-owned practice, our ability to provide care is contingent on operational sustainability. Without the ability to process these insurance claims, we must adapt to ensure our continued service to you.

Should the situation with Change Healthcare be resolved promptly, we will immediately revert to our standard insurance processing practices. We are closely monitoring the situation and will keep you updated on any changes.

For patients affected by this change, we will provide detailed receipts for services rendered, which you may submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement. Please note, the ability of UnitedHealthcare to process these reimbursements may be affected by the ongoing cyber-attack.

We sincerely appreciate your understanding and patience during this challenging time. Our commitment to providing you with quality care remains unwavering, and we are here to support you through these adjustments.

Please reach out to us via email at info@eastcoasttelepsychiatry.com or call us at (843) 299-2033. Our team is ready to assist you with any questions you may have regarding your insurance coverage and to provide you with the most up-to-date information.

Thank you for your continued trust in East Coast Telepsychiatry.

Warm regards,

East Coast Telepsychiatry

CNBC article for reference: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/29/change-healthcare-cyberattack-has-caused-financial-mess-for-doctors.html