Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022

To enhance the cybersecurity of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022 2. Definitions In this Act— (1) the term Agency (2) the term Cybersecurity State Coordinator 6 U.S.C. 665c(a) (3) the term Department (4) the term Director (5) the term Healthcare and Public Health Sector (6) the term Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations 6 U.S.C. 671 (7) the term Secretary 3. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Healthcare and Public Health Sector assets are increasingly the targets of malicious cyberattacks, which result not only in data breaches, but also increased healthcare delivery costs, and can ultimately affect patient health outcomes. (2) Data reported to the Department shows that almost every month in 2020, more than 1,000,000 people were affected by data breaches at healthcare organizations. Cyberattacks on healthcare facilities rose 55 percent in 2020, and these attacks also resulted in a 16 percent increase in the average cost of recovering a patient record in 2020, as compared to 2019. (3) According to data from the Office for Civil Rights of the Department, health information breaches have increased since 2016, and in 2020 alone, the Department reported 663 breaches on covered entities, as defined under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ( Public Law 104–191 4. Agency collaboration with the Department (a) In general The Agency shall collaborate with the Department, including by entering into an agreement, as appropriate, to improve cybersecurity in the Healthcare and Public Health Sector. (b) Assistance (1) In general The Agency shall coordinate with and make resources available to Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations, information sharing and analysis centers, and non-Federal entities that are receiving information shared through programs managed by the Department. (2) Scope The coordination under paragraph (1) shall include— (A) developing products specific to the needs of Healthcare and Public Health Sector entities; and (B) sharing information relating to cyber threat indicators and appropriate defensive measures. 5. Training for healthcare experts The Cyber Security Advisors and Cybersecurity State Coordinators of the Agency shall, in coordination, as appropriate, with private sector healthcare experts, provide training to Healthcare and Public Health Sector asset owners and operators on— (1) cybersecurity risks to the Healthcare and Public Health Sector and assets within the sector; and (2) ways to mitigate the risks to information systems in the Healthcare and Public Health Sector. 6. Sector-specific study and report (a) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director, in consultation with the Secretary, shall conduct a study and issue a report, which shall include the following elements: (1) An analysis of how identified cybersecurity risks specifically impact Healthcare and Public Health Sector assets, including the impact on rural and small and medium-sized Healthcare and Public Health Sector assets. (2) An evaluation of the challenges Healthcare and Public Health Sector assets face in— (A) securing— (i) updated information systems owned, leased, or relied upon by Healthcare and Public Health Sector assets; (ii) medical devices or equipment owned, leased, or relied upon by Healthcare and Public Health Sector assets, which shall include an analysis of the threat landscape and cybersecurity vulnerabilities of such medical devices or equipment; and (iii) sensitive patient health information and electronic health records; (B) implementing cybersecurity protocols; and (C) responding to data breaches or cybersecurity attacks, including the impact on patient access to care, quality of patient care, timeliness of health care delivery, and health outcomes. (3) An evaluation of best practices for the deployment of trained Cyber Security Advisors and Cybersecurity State Coordinators of the Agency into Healthcare and Public Health Sector assets before, during, and after data breaches or cybersecurity attacks. (4) An assessment of relevant Healthcare and Public Health Sector cybersecurity workforce shortages, including— (A) training, recruitment, and retention issues; and (B) recommendations for how to address these shortages and issues, particularly at rural and small and medium-sized Healthcare and Public Health Sector assets. (5) An identification of cybersecurity challenges related to or brought on by the public health emergency declared by the Secretary under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 247d (6) An evaluation of the most accessible and timely ways for the Agency and the Department to communicate and deploy cybersecurity recommendations and tools to Healthcare and Public Health Sector assets. (b) Report transmittal Not later than 60 days after completing the study and report required under subsection (a), the Director shall present the completed report to the Secretary, which the Secretary may, in consultation with the Director, consult when updating the Healthcare and Public Health Sector Specific Plan of the Secretary. (c) Congressional briefing Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director, in consultation with the Secretary, as appropriate, shall provide a briefing on the status of the study and report required under subsection (a) to— (1) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and (2) the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives.

Summary: Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to undertake activities to improve the cybersecurity of the health care and public health sector. HHS must coordinate with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on these activities; in particular, CISA must make resources, including cyber-threat indicators and appropriate defense measures, available to federal and nonfederal entities that receive information through HHS programs. In addition, HHS must provide training on cybersecurity risks and mitigation strategies to owners of assets in the health care and public health sector. HHS must also update the Healthcare and Public Health Sector Specific Plan, which guides the sector's effort to enhance the security and resilience of critical infrastructure. The updates must address, among other topics, the impact of the risks on rural entities and small- and medium-sized entities, cybersecurity workforce shortages in the sector, and challenges related to the COVID-19 emergency.