WATCH: Bipartisan Bill Backed by Sen. Ossoff to Strengthen Health Care Cybersecurity Passes Key Committee

Atlanta, Ga. - Bipartisan legislation backed by U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff to strengthen cybersecurity for Georgia's health care industry passed a key Committee.

The bipartisan Healthcare Cybersecurity Act, co-sponsored by Sen. Ossoff, recently passed through the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

The bipartisan bill would direct the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to collaborate on improving cybersecurity and make resources available to non-federal entities relating to cyber threat indicators and appropriate defense measures.

It would also create a special liaison to coordinate during cybersecurity incidents and collaborate to support health care and public health sector entities.

The bipartisan bill now goes to the full U.S. Senate for consideration.

"I co-sponsored this bill because hospital systems and health care in Georgia are besieged by cyber attacks. It puts the personal health data of Georgians at risk, and it puts the functioning of these hospital systems at risk," Sen. Ossoff said [VIDEO CLIP HERE].

Several Georgia hospitals and health care systems have fallen victim to cyber attacks in recent months and years.

Last month, over 250 hospitals across the Southeast were affected by a cyberattack on OneBlood, including in Georgia, according to WALB Albany.

In June, a hacker gained access to Wayne Memorial Hospital's network in Jesup, encrypted some of its data and left a ransom note on the network, the hospital said.

In February, Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, was hacked, impacting hospitals of all sizes across the State, The Atlanta Journal-Constitutionreported.

In summer 2022, as reported by WRBL Columbus, Jack Hughston Memorial Hospital in Columbus was the victim of a cyber attack.

In August 2021, St. Joseph's/Candler (SJ/C), the largest health care network in Savannah, Georgia, was hacked, the Savannah Morning News reported.

Last spring, Sen. Ossoff also helped pass through the Senate Homeland Security Committee the bipartisanRural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, whichwould create new strategy and training resources to boost the number of cybersecurity and digital security professionals in rural hospitals across Georgia and nationwide.

Click here to read the Healthcare Cybersecurity Act.

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