Cybersecurity in Health Care: Protecting Sensitive Data Amidst Increasing Threats

As a result of a cyberattack on a health care payments processing company, Washington is taking action to address the technology underpinning the industry. The attack, which brought payments to pharmacies and hospitals to a standstill, has highlighted the importance of robust cybersecurity measures in the health care sector.

In response to this incident, policymakers and lobbyists have been working together to develop strategies to prevent future attacks. These strategies include tying federal aid to cybersecurity requirements and creating new voluntary standards through public-private partnerships.

The attack on Change Healthcare demonstrated how vulnerabilities in just one company can disrupt critical technology infrastructure that many health care providers and insurers rely on daily. This highlights the need for stronger cybersecurity measures in the industry, including regular audits and mandatory standards.

Federal regulators have faced criticism for not being adequately prepared and not acting quickly enough in response to the incident. Some lawmakers are calling for mandatory cybersecurity standards in the health care industry, including regular audits, to ensure that all companies are held accountable for protecting sensitive data.