Bipartisan healthcare cybersecurity bill introduced

Editor's Note

Introduced by a bipartisan group of Senators, the Healthcare Cybersecurity Act aims to bolster the cyber-defenses of healthcare entities through the collaboration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

According to a July 16 report in HealthExec, the move was motivated by the February breach of Change Healthcare, which exposed millions of medical records and disrupted nationwide reimbursements, regulators are intensifying their focus on healthcare cybersecurity.

Introduced July 11, the proposed bill includes the establishment of a special liaison within CISA to enhance coordination between HHS and CISA and optimize the use of both private and public resources for rapid cyberattack responses, HealthExec reports. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Todd Young (R-IN), and Angus King (I-ME). The bill has garnered support from various academic and provider groups.