Kuster Urges Action to Secure Patient Data Following Change Healthcare Cyberattack

Kuster Urges Action to Secure Patient Data Following Change Healthcare Cyberattack

Washington, D.C. - Today, during a hearing in the prominent Energy and Commerce Committee's Health Subcommittee on "Examining Health Sector Cybersecurity," Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) urged her colleagues to support the millions of Americans whose data was exposed and compromised by the Change Healthcare cyberattack in February 2024.

"The Change Healthcare cyberattack not only disrupted timely care for patients in New Hampshire and beyond, it also exposed their private data to misuse by malicious actors," said Kuster. "I'm deeply concerned about the amount of patient data that has reportedly been compromised-Congress must act to support consumers and patients impacted by this breach while we continue working to prevent these kinds of attacks in the future."

Cyberattacks targeting U.S. health care systems have affected millions of Americans. In January and February of 2023 alone, the data of 74 million Americans was leaked on the dark web. The attack on Change Healthcareimpacted every hospital in New Hampshire, though it is unclear how many patients' data may have been compromised.

As a co-chair of the Bipartisan Rural Broadband Caucus, Kuster is a fierce advocate for empowering rural communities with the resources they need to invest in their cybersecurity infrastructure and protect patient data.

###