Cyberattack Shines Spotlight on Health Care System's Inefficiencies

SPS Updates

A 2023 Change Healthcare cyberattack caused significant interruptions in billing and payments, jeopardizing the financial viability of numerous health care practices, says Lisa Savage, LCSW.

“Change Healthcare processes more than 15 billion health care claims a year, affecting one in every three patient records,” she says in an article she wrote for the latest Section Connection newsletter for the Social and Economic Justice and Peace Specialty Practice Section at NASW.

“Social workers and other mental health professionals struggled to find accessible workarounds to get claims processed and paid,” says Savage, who has dedicated her career to addressing health disparities and enhancing mental health services.

The current mental health care system’s inefficiencies have escalated provider burnout, compelling some social workers to opt out from insurance networks, she states.

Low-income individuals, Medicaid dependents, the uninsured, and people with complex mental health conditions are disproportionately affected by the exodus of experienced social workers from insurance networks, Savage says. “Their departure reduces available care options, leading to delayed treatments, worsening symptoms, and increased reliance on emergency services.”

Because of this, it’s important now more than ever that social workers advocate for systemic reforms.