TAMPA, Fla. — The president of the Florida Hospital Association says the magnitude of the size of the impact of last month’s cyberattack on Change Healthcare has been misunderstood.

Change Healthcare, which is owned by United Health, is the middleman that links hospitals and doctor’s offices to insurance companies.

Mary Mayhew, who leads the Florida Hospital Association, says over 100 hospitals have been impacted statewide, which account for over 50% of hospital beds.

“These insurance companies that are not paying for care that’s been delivered, they are just sitting on the money,” Mayhew said. “They’re not incentivized here. If you are a small hospital with razor-thin margins, you’re already struggling with cashflow.”

Mayhew says United Health insurance is the country’s largest health care insurance provider, and it’s not clear at this time what information was taken in the cyberattack. The lack of cash flow could push hospitals and doctor’s offices to either dip into reserves or take out a line of credit in order to pay employees.

“When you’re not getting paid for the care you’ve provided, ends still have to meet and your expenses have to be paid for,” Mayhew said. “What hospitals will do first typically is slow down payments to companies and vendors and businesses that support the hospital. That’s not good either, but they’ll do everything they can to avoid interfering with timely access to care.”

The Florida Hospital Association has been speaking with both state and federal lawmakers in hopes of getting some relief. The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services agree to make advance payments, and providers will have 90 days to repay the funds.

Mayhew fears this won’t be the last breach of this kind.

“It’s not,” she said. “If it’s going to happen again, it’s when it’s going to happen again,” she said. “So we’re extremely concerned about the sophistication of these cyber criminals and the implications.”

In a statement issued earlier this month, Change Healthcare stated their electronic payment platform will come back online by Friday and they hope to be back up and running next week.

A number of large hospital systems, including medical teaching hospitals, are affected.

A statement posted on the website for Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute states they use Change Healthcare for insurance claims.