Zing Health is committed to providing the highest quality care for its members, especially those with chronic special needs. In February 2024, Change Health Care (CHC) experienced an unprecedented cybersecurity ransomware event which resulted in CHC and/or Optum, its’ parent company, deciding on February 21, 2024, to shut down CHC’s operations completely. This shutdown had a material impact on Zing’s operations as CHC served as a critical vendor supporting Zing. CHC’s decision to shut down and not restore their business impacted all facets of Zing’s operations and its ability to effectively manage the care of Zing’s members and pay claims in a timely manner. Zing relied on CHC systems and services which CHC failed to provide in accordance with the terms of their contracts with Zing, resulting in a significant delay in Zing being able to pay claims and manage member care appropriately and timely. Zing took immediate action to mitigate the situation and prioritized minimizing disruption to members notwithstanding the difficult situation created by this event.
The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services utilize a Star Rating program to measure the quality of health and drug services received by consumers enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) and Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs or Part D plans). The severity of the disruptions to Zing’s operations caused by the CHC cybersecurity event have directly impacted Zing’s Star Rating for the 2026 plan period (which is based on activity in calendar year 2024). While Zing used its best efforts and focused on minimizing the disruption to members (a decision we stand by), Zing was unable to recover quickly enough operationally due to CHC’s inaction and failures to restore the CHC services and claim payment systems to achieve the expected Star Ratings for Zing plans.
Zing Health’s H4624 contract received a 3.5 Star Rating for 2025, but the unpredictable impact of the CHC shutdown so severely impacted operations that the H4624 will receive a 2.5 Star Rating for 2026. To be clear: but for the CHC cybersecurity event and its resultant impacts on Zing, Zing expected to maintain or improve its Star Rating for 2026.
Indeed, Zing made substantial improvements with respect to the quality of members care that were setback by these events outside of Zing’s control. Unfortunately, the 2026 Star Rating does not accurately reflect the progress and improvements made by Zing in its healthcare management programs.
Despite this setback, Zing remains committed to meeting the needs of its membership and is confident that the 2027 Star Ratings will more accurately reflect the investment and commitment to delivering high quality care and reducing healthcare disparities among historically underserved populations.
About Zing Health
Founded in 2019, Zing Health Holdings Inc. is a physician-founded insurance company built to seamlessly address the needs of underserved seniors with chronic conditions. Positioned as an industry leader in the Medicare Advantage Chronic Special Needs Plans (C-SNP) space and named one of the 2022 and 2023 Best Places to Work in Healthcare, Zing Health adopts a community-based approach that addresses the social determinants of health, keeping individuals and communities healthy while returning the physician and the member to the center of the healthcare equation. Each member receives personalized care tailored to their health conditions and social needs enabled by innovative product design coupled with technology and value-based care delivery. Zing Health offers Medicare Advantage plans in select counties in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee. For more information, visit www.myzinghealth.com.
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