Cybersecurity Crisis in the Health Care Industry: Washington’s Response and Strategies to Prevent Future Attacks

Washington is taking steps to address the technology underpinning the health care industry following a cyberattack on a health care payments processing company. This attack could have significant effects on hospitals and IT vendors who provide essential services to the industry.

In response to the incident, federal regulators have faced criticism for not being adequately prepared and not acting quickly enough. Some lawmakers are calling for mandatory cybersecurity standards in the health care industry, including regular audits.

Policymakers and lobbyists have been working 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.