Regulatory Updates

OCR Settles HIPAA Ransomware Cybersecurity Investigation with Neurology Practice. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a settlement with a small New York neurology practice following a potential violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule. The settlement resolves the investigation of a ransomware attack reported by the practice in December…

OCR Settles HIPAA Ransomware Cybersecurity Investigation with Public Hospital. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a settlement with a public hospital on the U.S. Territory, island of Guam following two complaints alleging improper disclosure of electronic protected health information (ePHI) through a ransomware attack affecting approximately 5,000 individuals. OCR’s investigation found that the hospital…

CMS Administrator Shares Vision for the Agency. In a press release, Dr. Mehmet Oz, the newly confirmed Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shared his vision for the Agency. CMS will work to modernize Medicare, the Marketplaces and Medicaid. Actions the Agency will take include: (i) Empowering the American People with…

Dr. Oz Confirmed as CMS Administrator. Mehmet Oz, MD was confirmed by the Senate as the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) with a party line vote of 53-45. Dr. Oz is a television personality, physician, author, and professor emeritus of cardiothoracic surgery at Columbia University. As the head of CMS, Dr.…

HHS Secretary Announces Department Reorganization. In a press release, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced a restructuring in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order, “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative.” The Department estimates the restructuring will save taxpayers $1.8 billion per year…

President Trump Nominates Sean Plankey as New CISA Director. Reuters reported that President Donald Trump nominated Sean Plankey to head the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Plankey has experience working for the U.S. government, including his cybersecurity support to U.S. forces deployed in Afghanistan, then worked at U.S. Cyber Command, the U.S. Coast Guard,…

Senate Committees Votes to Move RFK Nomination Forward for Full Senate Vote. The Senate Finance Committee voted 14-13 along party lines to advance President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The Senate Finance Committee held a confirmation hearing on Jan. 29. View the…

Senate Committees Hold HHS Secretary Confirmation Hearings. Two Senate Committees conducted confirmation hearings for President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The Senate Finance Committee held a confirmation hearing on Jan. 29. View the hearing here. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions…

Date Announced for HHS Secretary Confirmation Senate Hearing. The Senate Committee on Finance announced that a hearing entitled “Hearing to consider the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., of California, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services” has been scheduled for 10 am ET on January 29. Go here to review the statements from…