Cybersecurity News and Resources for Healthcare

UHG reports losses after cyberattack, providers warm up to AI

April 24, 2024 - The major health insurer UnitedHealth Group has not yet issued a formal breach notification, prompting more scrutiny of its response to the Change Healthcare cyberattack. So far, UnitedHealth Group reported that the breach involved files containing personal health information, but there is no evidence of malicious actors accessing full medical...

HIMSS 2024 Recap: Generative AI Uses, Workforce Management

April 05, 2024 by Editorial Staff

Generative AI use cases and workforce management--specifically in light of severe labor shortages--dominated the conversation at HIMSS 2024. Rich Birhanzel, senior managing director and global health...

Diabetes Tools Do Not Deliver, Epic Adds Ambient Listening

March 28, 2024 by Kelsey Waddill

The major EHR vendor Epic will introduce an ambient listening function into its EHR as the healthcare industry buzzes over the new technology. Ambient listening tools are artificial intelligence (AI)...

Best Legal Practices Before, During, After A Cybersecurity Incident

November 20, 2023 by Editorial Staff

The healthcare sector is up against sophisticated cyber threats, from phishing to ransomware. From 2018 to 2022, there was a 239 percent increase in large breaches involving hacking reported to the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR),...

House Passes $1.9B Budget for VA EHRM, Uninsured Rate Drops During COVID

August 08, 2023 by Hayden Schmidt

In healthcare policy news this week, an appropriations act aims to overhaul the VA’s Oracle Cerner EHR implementation. Meanwhile, HHS data showed that 6.3 million people gained healthcare...

CMS Pauses Medicaid Redeterminations, $44M Telehealth Fraud Scheme

August 01, 2023 by Hayden Schmidt

In healthcare policy news this week, CMS is pausing several state coverage redeterminations in light of procedural challenges that have resulted in millions losing their health insurance. Meanwhile, a...

Healthcare Firms Plan to Increase Information Technology Spending in 2023

July 05, 2023 by Hayden Schmidt

Survey data from TechTarget’s 2023 IT Priorities Study revealed that 41% of healthcare organizations had increased their information technology budget in 2023 to support a more robust...

How Analytics Tools, Third-Party Tracking Tech Pose Threats to Patient Privacy

June 12, 2023 by Jill McKeon

The transfer of sensitive data to non-HIPAA-covered entities may result in compliance complexities, data breaches, lawsuits, and threats to patient privacy. Following multiple high-profile healthcare...

VA Renegotiates EHR Contract, New Telehealth Bill for Medicare Beneficiaries

May 23, 2023 by Hayden Schmidt

In healthcare policy news this week, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) successfully renegotiated its EHR contract with Oracle Cerner. Meanwhile, new legislation may extend telemental health...

CMS Underreported Nursing Home Quality Issues, New $5B Vaccine Project

April 18, 2023 by Hayden Schmidt

In healthcare policy news this week, an inspector general report found massive underreporting of quality issues at nursing homes by CMS. Meanwhile, the Biden Administration is launching a $5 billion...

HHS Releases Cancer Moonshot Plan, VA EHRM Pause Extended

April 11, 2023 by Hayden Schmidt

In the news this week, the ambitious Biden Administration Cancer Moonshot was detailed in a new plan released by HHS. Meanwhile, the beleaguered VA EHR project has been put on the back burner...

CDC Warns of Deadly Fungus, CMS to Reimburse for Virtual Reality

March 28, 2023 by Hayden Schmidt

In healthcare policy news, a warning was issued by the CDC last week about a deadly fungal infection spreading in US healthcare facilities. Meanwhile, CMS is creating a reimbursement pathway for...

VA Deputy Secretary Gone Amid EHRM Row, DEA Proposes New Telemedicine Rule

March 08, 2023 by Hayden Schmidt

In the news this week, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) took another blow to its EHR modernization (EHRM) project after the man in charge of running the campaign stepped down. Meanwhile, the DEA...

TX Physicians Win No Surprises Act Court Case, PHE to End

February 14, 2023 by Hayden Schmidt

In the news this week, HHS officials are bringing an end to the COVID-19 public health emergency, which will have wide-ranging implications for politicians and patients across the United States....

HHS Posts Timeline for Drug Negotiations, FDA Approves Alzheimer’s Drug

January 17, 2023 by Hayden Schmidt

In this week’s policy roundup, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its detailed timeline for drug pricing negotiations that will begin next year. Meanwhile, the FDA granted...

Top Healthcare Predictions for 2023: HIT Analytics, mHealth, EHR, HITS

January 16, 2023 by Kelsey Waddill

In 2023, leaders in EHR, health IT analytics, mHealth, and health IT security may see a spike in innovation around reducing provider burden and addressing healthcare consumerism, experts told...

VA EHR Project to Resume in 2023 Following Setbacks and Staff Layoffs

January 03, 2023 by Hayden Schmidt

Policy news this week includes updates on the Oracle Cerner Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) project and news about an emerging pro-Russian hacktivist group threatening the US healthcare...

CMS Settles Physician Fee Schedule, FDA Urged to Recall Dry Shampoos

November 08, 2022 by Hayden Schmidt

The FDA is being pressured to force a recall of popular dry shampoos from the market after it was found that many contain benzene, a carcinogenic chemical. Meanwhile, CMS released its physician fee...

Senators Seek HHS Update to HIPAA, FBI Warns About Legacy Devices

September 20, 2022 by Hayden Schmidt

An FBI warning letter shared with healthcare providers encouraged them to take an active interest in their legacy systems after the agency noticed increasing security holes across a range of medical...

HIPAA Protection Slides Post-Roe, Healthcare Cybersecurity Under Siege

July 12, 2022 by Hayden Schmidt

Senators and President Biden are looking to expand and solidify the protections of HIPAA for people seeking reproductive care and abortions after the Supreme Court dismantled Roe v. Wade. In a recent...

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