HHS Prodded to Seek Breach Reporting Feedback as Incidents Spike

The Department of Health and Human Services agreed to solicit feedback on its data breach reporting system after a federal government watchdog suggested it seek input on obstacles the health care industry faces.

The number of data breaches reported to HHS has spiked since 2015 as doctors, insurers, and others in the industry have grappled with cybersecurity threats from hacking or unauthorized access to information, according to a report from the US Government Accountability Office.

Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known as HIPAA, data breaches involving 500 or more individuals must be disclosed to the department’s Office ...