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Federal employee insurance impeded by sweeping healthcare cyberattack

'...Federal employees, retirees and dependants covered by GEHA health care are still experiencing service outages as the company is working to restore claims processing and repayment systems after a cyber attack breached the healthcare industry in February. GEHA, a popular Federal Employees Health Benefit plan that covers some 2 million beneficiaries, has some of its services provided by Change Healthcare, the target of the attack by a ransomware hacker group, ALPHV, or Blackcat. UnitedHealth Group, Inc., is the parent company. ...'

Reference: www.federaltimes.com
Tags: Healthcare cyberattack, GEHA, Change Healthcare,FEHB,Cyber attack,2024,

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What is the difference between PSHB and FEHB?

'... mandates that the PSHBP begin coverage starting in January 2025. Though situated within the broader FEHB Program, the PSHBP is a separate health benefit, with separate carriers, plans, and enrollment prerequisites. ...Critically different from FEHB, the PSHBP requires verifying the Medicare enrollment of PSHBP enrollees – for example, if a postal annuitant who is required to be enrolled in Medicare Part B is not enrolled or disenrolls, they are no longer eligible to be enrolled in the PSHBP. To meet this requirement, OPM must routinely accept and integrate Medicare eligibility enrollment information and confirm PSHBP eligibility with a number of stakeholder agencies, exchanging data with the Social Security Administration (SSA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Labor Office of Workers Compensation (DOL), OPM Retirement Services (RS), and, of course, USPS. This integration is unique among employer-based health insurance programs.'

Reference: www.opm.gov
Tags: Postal Service Health Benefits Program (PSHB),FEHB, PSHB vs. FEHB,

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