White House eyes cybersecurity rule for hospitals in ‘next few weeks,’ Anne Neuberger says

The White House is close to rolling out new cybersecurity regulations for hospitals, Anne Neuberger, the White House’s deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, told Semafor on Tuesday.

“We’re working on a rule related to minimum cybersecurity practices for hospitals. We’ve been working closely with the American Hospital Association to get input from the sector and you’ll see that, we’re working on that in the next few weeks,” Neuberger said at a Semafor cybersecurity policy event in Washington.

The healthcare industry is among “the most vulnerable” to cyber criminals deploying ransomware and other cyberattacks, Neuberger said. She noted the White House recently hosted an event to “brainstorm” potential policies the government can put in place that would be effective but not disruptive to the healthcare sector.

The American Hospital Association, a key industry group, has criticized proposals that would penalize hospitals that don’t meet minimum cybersecurity standards.

Neuberger discussed the rule last month but didn’t offer a timeline at the time.