Washington, D.C.—(ENEWSPF)—Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02) introduced legislation to improve hospital cybersecurity standards. The Healthcare Cybersecurity Improvement Act (H.R. 10455) was introduced due to increased ransomware attacks. Rep. Kelly said the bill will help hospitals ward off cyberattacks.
“When patients put their health in the hands of doctors and healthcare providers, they’re also entrusting their most private data to hospitals’ cybersecurity systems. The truth is that these systems are not up to par,” said Rep. Kelly. “It has become woefully obvious that hospitals need better standards and investments to help ward off cyberattacks. This is especially true of smaller hospitals that need larger capacity and expertise. Americans going into surgery or rushing to the hospital for an emergency should not have to worry whether their doctor’s medical equipment has been hacked or care has to be delayed because of a ransomware attack.”
A total of 258 hospitals experienced ransomware attacks in 2023, a 128% increase compared to the year prior. This caused delayed medical procedures, disrupted patient care, rescheduled medical appointments, and strained acute care provisioning and capacity.
I Am the Cavalry
The cybersecurity organization supports the Healthcare Cybersecurity Improvement Act, I Am the Cavalry.
“While the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act has focused the industry on the confidentiality of data, we have seen worse harms manifest in the form of cyber-disruption, and the attackers show no signs that they will let up,” said Joshua Corman, co-founder of I Am The Cavalry. “These attacks cause degraded patient care with quantifiable increases in worsened outcomes and even losses of life. Congresswoman Robin Kelly has consistently engaged with ethical hackers through I Am The Cavalry on filling these gaps toward more resilience in small, medium, and rural healthcare facilities so that any American can count on timely access to emergency care.”
The Healthcare Cybersecurity Improvement Act proposes four changes to help protect patients’ healthcare data:
- Places the Healthcare Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) in statute so the office can continue its essential work.
- Creates an initial grant program with $100 million to boost the cybersecurity efforts of small- and medium-sized hospitals.
- It requires the HHS to create basic cybersecurity standards. These are included as a condition of participation for hospitals receiving Medicare funding.
- Creates liability protection so larger healthcare systems can provide smaller health centers access to cyber resources without fear of liability.
Read the full text of the bill here.
On Her Co-Chair Appointment
Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02) is co-chair of the Steering & Policy Committee for the 119th Congress. Congresswomen Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) and Nanette Barragán (CA-44) will also be co-chairs. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced the appointments in early December.
“I am honored to be named co-chair of the Steering & Policy Committee alongside my colleagues, Congresswomen Wasserman Schultz and Barragán,” said Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02). “Under the leadership of Hakeem Jeffries, I am ready to carry out the goals of the House Democratic Caucus and deliver For The People. Together, House Democrats will continue to put people over politics, stand resolute against extremism, and demonstrate that the government can improve people’s lives.”
