Health Systems Say Feds Should Step In To Fend Off Cyberattacks
Insurance experts say the many millions spent on fixing a cyberattack ultimately comes back to consumers in the form of higher premium payments. But one expert at the federal government's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said a "significant portion" of hospital intrusions aren't even reported to the government.
Politico:
Health Systems Want Government Help Fighting Off The Hackers
Cyberattacks on health systems mushroomed during the pandemic — and 2022 could be their worst year yet. From January through June, the Office of Civil Rights tallied 256 hacks and information breaches, up from 149 for the same period a year ago. It’s a continuing trend from last year: Cybersecurity outfit Sophos reports that in 2021, attacks on health systems were up 66 percent over 2020. (Reader, 6/22)
In other health care industry news —
The Washington Post:
Trial Of Former Theranos Exec Sunny Balwani Draws To A Close
Sunny Balwani, the former business and romantic partner of disgraced biotech entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes, faced closing arguments in his fraud trial here Tuesday. The former chief operating officer of blood-testing start-up Theranos is charged with 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one more count than Holmes ultimately faced last year. (Lerman, 6/21)
Bloomberg:
New Jersey Backs Down From $34 Million Fight With Health Insurer Horizon
New Jersey officials who sought to recover millions of dollars in public funds from the the state's largest health insurer last year faced pressure from the governor's office to back down, according to the former official who managed state health benefits. A little over a year ago, the state Treasury office overseeing the health plan for New Jersey employees recommended clawing back $34 million from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. The state alleged that the insurer failed to deliver on a new service, for which the state had paid extra, that was meant to help members find better care at lower costs. (Tozzi, 6/21)
Bangor Daily News:
State Suspends Counseling License For Head Of Orrington Behavioral Center
The head of counseling and recovery centers in Orrington had his license to practice as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor suspended by a state regulatory board last month amid accusations of discrimination by former residents. Two men who participated in Devin Colavecchio’s Northwoods Ranch and Retreat program alleged that Colavecchio made racist and homophobic comments to them, and threatened to send one to a homeless shelter as punishment during treatment, according to the interim consent agreement with the State of Maine Board of Counseling and Professional Licensure. (6/21)
Houston Chronicle:
Memorial Hermann Health System Puts Houston Rockets’ Name On Orthopedic Programs
Memorial Hermann’s orthopedics and sports medicine service line will be rebranded to include the name of Houston Rockets professional basketball team. Starting July 1, the orthopedics service will be named “Memorial Hermann | Rockets Orthopedics.” In addition, Memorial Hermann’s sports medicine institute clinics will be named “Memorial Hermann | Rockets Sports Medicine Institute”, and Memorial Hermann Orthopedic & Spine Hospital will be named “Memorial Hermann | Rockets Orthopedic Hospital.” In 2005, Memorial Hermann became the official provider of the Rockets. Now it’s the first health system the NBA will allow to use a teams’ branding in this way, said Erin Asprec, chief operating officer of Memorial Hermann. (Carballo, 6/21)
Also —
Stat:
The ADA Covers Addiction. Now The U.S. Is Enforcing The Law
It was at Massachusetts General Hospital that Bryan found the care he needed for his opioid use disorder. He had previously tried, without success, to just quit. But when the hospital’s renowned addiction medicine team prescribed him Suboxone, a medication that can tame cravings, it worked. Bryan also had cystic fibrosis, which by 2017 had progressed to the point he needed a lung transplant. It made sense that he would get that done at MGH too. The transplant team, citing the Suboxone Bryan took, rejected him. (Joseph, 6/22)
KHN:
Watch: She Almost Died. The $250K Debt Took Their House
Cindy Powers needed 19 surgeries over the course of five years for abdominal problems and life-threatening infections. “I knew of at least three times where she died on the operating table and they had to restart her heart,” her husband, Jim Powers, told investigative consumer correspondent Anna Werner on the CBS Evening News. Cindy’s illnesses led to $250,000 in bills, bankruptcy, and eventually foreclosure on the couple’s house in Texas. (6/21)
