ADA comments on congressional cyberattack hearing
Recommendations include cybersecurity support for dental practices, financial impact assessments
The ADA wrote to the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee in advance of the committee’s April 16 hearing, "Examining Health Sector Cybersecurity in the Wake of the Change Healthcare Attack."
In the April 15 letter addressed to Subcommittee Chair Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., and Ranking Member Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., the Association provided insights and recommendations as the committee seeks answers on the Feb. 21 attack that hit Change Healthcare, one of the largest health care technology companies in the U.S. In the nearly 10 weeks since the cyberattack, dental services have yet to be fully restored.
According to the ADA, members have reported delayed claims, increased expenses from physical mailing and increased office staff time spent on call centers and troubleshooting.
“The lack of transparency surrounding the financial impact of this incident is concerning and we believe full financial impact assessments by the industry are imperative,” the ADA said.
The ADA recommended several measures to ensure resilience of health care infrastructure against cyber threats. These include:
• Comprehensive financial impact assessments.
• Enactment of prompt pay legislation.
• Enhanced e-prescribing standards.
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliance enhancement.
• Cybersecurity support for dental practices.
• Mitigation for potential price gouging.
• Payer responsibility and collaboration.
In addition to the proposed measures, the ADA urged the committee to consider legislative measures that would improve options for health care providers impacted by cyberattacks and help to prevent incidents in the future.
“We are particularly interested in policies addressing gaps in cybersecurity regulations and enforcement mechanisms such as measures to enhance penalties for cybercrimes, streamlining transparency on incident reporting requirements, support for contingency planning and facilitating information sharing among law enforcement agencies and healthcare providers,” the letter concluded.
For more information about the ADA’s advocacy efforts, visit ADA.org/Advocacy.
