Bill Overview
Title: Department of Health and Human Services Cybersecurity Coordination Act
Description: This bill tasks the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response of the Department of Health and Human Services with coordinating and managing certain activities related to cybersecurity.
Sponsors: Rep. Guthrie, Brett [R-KY-2]
Target Audience
Population: People utilizing digital healthcare systems worldwide
Estimated Size: 331000000
- The bill affects the Department of Health and Human Services, specifically focusing on cybersecurity.
- Cybersecurity in healthcare impacts hospitals, patients, healthcare providers, and anyone who uses digital health services.
- Approximately 331 million people in the United States have personal health information stored digitally, making them potentially impacted by cybersecurity threats.
- Globally, billions have their health data stored digitally, but access and penetration of digital healthcare solutions vary by region.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily targets improved cybersecurity in healthcare, which indirectly affects the wellbeing of individuals by increasing their sense of security when using digital health services and protecting their data from breaches.
- The budget and implementation timeline indicate that immediate large-scale impacts may be limited, focusing instead on gradual improvements and systemic resilience over time.
- Individuals directly involved in healthcare, such as IT professionals in hospitals, may see direct impacts on job security, workload, and job satisfaction.
- Patients and individuals utilizing digital healthcare services will predominantly feel the effects in terms of reduced anxiety about data security, though the actual experience of increased wellbeing may be subtle and longer-term.
Simulated Interviews
Healthcare IT Specialist (New York, NY)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am constantly aware of the threat of cyber attacks on our hospital systems.
- This policy could mean we finally get the resources needed to upgrade our defenses.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
Retired (Des Moines, IA)
Age: 72 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As someone who uses telemedicine often, I worry about hackers accessing my personal information.
- If this policy helps hospitals tighten their security, it's a step in the right direction.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Software Developer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- There's a huge demand for cybersecurity solutions in healthcare.
- A policy that boosts this sector can only be beneficial to my work.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 5 |
Hospital Administrator (Miami, FL)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We're always under pressure to secure patient data.
- This policy could alleviate some of that pressure with better coordination at the federal level.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
General Practitioner (Austin, TX)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I worry about keeping my practice compliant with cybersecurity regulations.
- This policy could provide clearer guidelines and support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Cybersecurity Analyst (Chicago, IL)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Cybersecurity threats are always evolving.
- With this policy, there's potential for more jobs and better resources in our field.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Data Privacy Advocate (Seattle, WA)
Age: 38 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any policy that strengthens cybersecurity in healthcare is a victory for privacy rights.
- I hope this leads to more comprehensive federal regulations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Nurse (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 61 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Security of patient data is crucial but often overlooked in hospitals.
- With the right initiatives, this policy could make my job a lot less stressful.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Hospital Executive (Boston, MA)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improved cybersecurity coordination could streamline our operations.
- There's potential here to really shore up our defenses with government support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Patient (Houston, TX)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- A data breach would be devastating for people like me.
- This policy might help make medical records safer.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $70000000)
Year 2: $50000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $70000000)
Year 3: $52000000 (Low: $32000000, High: $72000000)
Year 5: $55000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $75000000)
Year 10: $60000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $80000000)
Year 100: $120000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $160000000)
Key Considerations
- Coordination between agencies is critical to ensuring a cohesive cybersecurity strategy.
- The implementation of the act will require agile responses to evolving cyber threats.
- Long-term funding will be necessary to maintain and update cybersecurity measures effectively.