Minimum US hospital cybersecurity standards mulled

U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology Anne Neuberger disclosed the Biden administration's plans to establish minimum cybersecurity standards for hospitals following the widespread ransomware attack against UnitedHealth Group's Change Healthcare that resulted in significant medical billing issues and patient care deferrals, BNN Bloomberg reports.

More than 1,000 small and rural hospitals across the U.S. will also be given free cybersecurity training within the next few weeks, said Neuberger at the Bloomberg Tech Summit. While there has been no timeline regarding the cybersecurity rule for hospitals, the Biden administration could be issuing a proposed rule seeking adherence to minimum cybersecurity requirements among organizations supported by Medicare and Medicaid, according to a U.S. official close to the matter.

Such a development comes amid escalating cybersecurity threats against healthcare organizations, including a cyberattack against major U.S. Catholic nonprofit health system Ascension, which resulted in the disruption of its network systems.