>> MARY: MINNETONKA-BASED UNITED HEALTH GROUP FACED SCRUTINY THIS WEEK AT THE NATION'S CAPITOL FOR ITS LACK OF CYBER SECURITY MEASURES.

A CYBER ATTACK ON THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST HEALTH INSURER BACK IN FEBRUARY HAS DISRUPTED CARE PROVIDERS AND COMPROMISED PEOPLE'S PERSONAL DATA.

CHRIS SNOWBECK COVERS HEALTH INSURERS INCLUDING UNITED HEALTH FOR THE "STAR TRIBUNE" AND HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THE STORY CLOSELY.

WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE TOUGH QUESTIONS IN D.C. DID WE GET ANSWERS?

>> WE GOT SOME MORE ANSWERS.

I STILL -- THERE'S STILL A LOT WE DON'T KNOW IDENTIFICATION.

BUT YEAH, WE GOT, I THINK ONE BIG THING WE LEARNED WAS THAT THE PORTAL THAT WAS HACKED, THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION -- >> Mary: WHICH IS SOMETHING WE ALL KIND OF DO AT OUR COMPANIES?

DIDN'T WE ASSUME THAT WAS KIND OF STANDARD?

>> I MEAN, RON WHITE WHO'S THE DEMOCRAT CHAIR OF THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE SAID IT'S FAILURE F CYBER SECURITY 101, WHICH IS ONE OF THE SORT OF MANY BIG QUOTES THAT CAME OUT OF IT.

SO WE LEARNED ABOUT THAT AND THE COMPANY, I THINK, ANDREW WITTE WAS VERY CONTRITE IN FIELDING A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT FROM HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS SORT OF CHANNELED THROUGH THE SENATE.

>> Eric: HOW DID THIS AFFECT OR IS IT AFFECTING HEALTHCARE CONSUMERS?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE STRESS, I MEAN, INITIALLY, AT THE PHARMACY, I THINK THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE GETTING THEIR MEDICINES.

I THINK EVERYBODY MOVED QUICKLY.

TO TRY AND MAKE THAT WORK OKAY.

I DIDN'T GET A TON OF CALLS.

I MEAN, I HAD SOME FOLKS I, YOU KNOW, THE BIG ISSUE HAS BEEN THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS SYSTEM THEY GOT HACKED, I MEAN, IT'S LIKE HE PLUMBING OF HEALTHCARE.

IT'S HOW -- >> Mary: IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, FOR A LOT OF THE COUNTRY.

AND SO THE CASH FLOW IS THE TERM.

YOU KNOW, CLINICS AND HOSPITALS, MONEY COMING IN, IF THE MONEY COMING IN IS DEPLINNISHED, AN THEY PAY THEIR FOLKS, CAN THEY KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN ND I THINK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LIMPING ALONG AND IT'S BEEN A HEAVY LIFT.

>> Mary: IS THERE SOME LEGAL EXPOSURE?

COULD SOME OF THOSE CLINICS, DOCTORS, GO AFTER UNITED HEALTH FOR THIS?

ARE THEY?

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 24 LAWSUITS FILED FROM A VARIETY OF PLAINTIFFS, BUT AMONG THEM A COUPLE LOCAL CLINICS SAYING, LOOK, OUR BUSINESS WAS KIND OF DEAD IN THE WATER ERE.

>> Eric: THIS IS A COMPANY THAT CAME UP WITH $22 BILLION IN PROFIT LAST YEAR.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE SENATORS CALLED IT A MONOPOLY ON STEROIDS.

>> ELIZABETH WARREN, I BELIEVE GLE.

OKAY.

ARE THEY TOO BIG TO FAIL?

IS THAT KIND OF THE OLD SAYING?

>> WELL THAT, WAS THE QUESTION, RON WHITE KIND OF PUSHED THAT DAY I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY BIG HEALTHCARE COMPANIES.

IT'S A HUGE SECTOR.

THE CEO KIND OF PUSHED BACK.

ON IT, BY SAYING, WELL, WE DON'T OWN ANY HOSPITALS.

WE'RE NOT A DRUG MANUFACTURER.

UNITED EMPLOYS A LOT OF PHYSICIANS, BUT HE KIND OF PUSHED BACK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT SAYING, MOST OF THE PHYSICIANS WE WORK WITH WE'RE AFFILIATED WITH.

THEY CHOOSE TO WORK WITH US.

IT'S A COMPLEX CONVERSATION.

>> Mary: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LOCAL FOOTPRINT BECAUSE UNITE HEALTH EMPLOYED A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN MINNESOTA.

DO MINNESOTANS REALLY KNOW HOW BIG THE COMPANY IS?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK IT'S 400,000 EMPLOYEES.

I MEAN, IT'S AN ENORMOUS ORGANIZATION.

YEAH -- >> >> Mary: BUT IT'S BASED HERE.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE FIRST BIG MINNESOTA COMPANY THAT WOULD COME TO MIND FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON.

>> I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY RIGHT.

IT'S BEEN A LITTLE QUIET.

FOR A LONG TIME, AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE STATE DIDN'T ALLOW FOR-PROFIT H.M.O.s.

THAT LAW GOT CHANGED BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

AND SO UNITED HAS BEEN COMING IN MORE AND MORE.

BUT I THINK PEOPLE STILL ARE GETTING TO KNOW THE COMPANY -- >> Mary: AND THERE WAS ANOTHER NAME INVOLVED IN THIS.

IT WASN'T UNITED HEALTH IDENTIFIED RIGHT AWAY.

>> YEAH, SO THERE'S UNITED HEALTH GROUP.

THERE'S A SUBSIDIARY, OPT YUM, OPT YUM BOUGHT A COMPANY CALLED CHANGE HEALTHCARE.

CHANGE HEALTHCARE GOT HACKED.

>> Eric: AND THEY PAID THE RAN SOME, RIGHT?

>> 22 MILLION IS WHAT THE CEO SAID.

>> WHO DO YOU PAY THAT TO?

>> I DON'T -- WAY BEYOND ME.

>> Mary: WOW.