The Biden-Harris administration is putting down new roots in cyberspace, particularly where it impacts the nation's healthcare. Following a spike in cyberattacks—which skyrocketed by 128% from 2022 to 2023—the administration has unveiled an array of initiatives designed to shield healthcare systems from digital threats. Attacks have recently disrupted hospitals, creating a domino effect that has both patients and providers clinging to the need for more robust cybersecurity measures.
Numbers rarely lie, and in this case, they frighteningly illustrate the state of vulnerability: a staggering one-third of healthcare claims were hit by cyberattacks in early 2020. According to The White House, this disruption has choked the timely flow of payments to healthcare providers, placing an unwanted strain on a system already grappling with myriad challenges.
In a proactive move, the Department of Health and Human Services launched a cybersecurity gateway in January 2024, serving as a digital repository for healthcare-specific information and tools. The White House, not to be outdone, has been actively courting C-suite executives from across the healthcare field since May 2024, creating a collaborative environment where threats can be shared and tackled collectively.
The futuristic-sounding UPGRADE program, heralded by ARPA-H and carrying a more than $50 million investment tag, aims to bring a technological arsenal to IT teams tasked with the Sisyphean effort to continuously fortify hospital defenses. Moreover, the White House's push to bolster rural hospitals—providers to over 60 million Americans—has seen big tech players step up. Conversations with the leading tech companies have resulted in pledges to extend tangible support to these often-overlooked frontline medical facilities.
Microsoft is flexing its philanthropic muscles by extending hefty discounts on its security products for small healthcare organizations and offering its top-tier security suite gratis to larger rural hospitals for a full year. These handouts come with the invaluable aid of free cybersecurity assessments and training. Google, not to lag, will dish out endpoint security advice free of charge and has initiated a pilot program tailored to the distinct security demands of rural healthcare.
This concerted cyber tourniquet to our nation's healthcare system is a clear signal: the Biden-Harris administration isn't just taking notice, but is actively engaging in cyber warfare to ensure health claims—and consequently, patient care—don't become collateral damage in the face of increasing digital threats.
