A recent report from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) indicates that many hospitals are not complying with price transparency regulations designed to provide patients with better access to healthcare costs. Out of 100 hospitals surveyed, 34 did not publish machine-readable files of their charges, and 14 failed to provide a consumer-friendly list of services. The report underscores the ongoing compliance challenges, particularly as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lacks adequate resources for enforcing these rules. Despite the implementation of the price transparency rule in 2021, only 46% of the 5,800 hospitals required to comply have done so, with providers citing confusion over the requirements as a barrier, especially among smaller hospitals.

Hospitals Struggle with Price Transparency Compliance, Leaving Patients in the Dark Healthcare Dive

The 25th anniversary of the eHealthcare Leadership Awards was marked by a ceremony on November 10 at the Healthcare Internet Conference, recognizing over 200 organizations for their outstanding digital initiatives across 30 categories, including Best Digital Front Door and Best Overall Internet. The awards aim to underscore the significance of digital communications in meeting healthcare organizations' business goals, with notable winners like Hackensack Meridian Health and Intermountain Health receiving the top Mark Gothberg eHealthcare Organizational Commitment Award. The event was supported by various industry sponsors, reflecting the ongoing advancements in healthcare marketing and technology.

eHealthcare Leadership Awards Celebrate 25 Years of Digital Innovation in Healthcare eHealthcare Awards

Healthcare organizations are confronting a challenging decision regarding whether to pay ransomware demands after cyberattacks that risk sensitive patient data and critical services. The urgency to restore operations must be weighed against ethical and financial ramifications, as paying a ransom does not guarantee data recovery or future protection. Many providers experience severe operational disruptions and financial burdens from such incidents, prompting a search for best practices in cybersecurity. Experts recommend proactive strategies, including strong cybersecurity measures, staff training, and regular data backups, to minimize risks and reduce the likelihood of facing ransom demands in the first place. Collaborating with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts is also suggested to navigate the complexities associated with these attacks.

Healthcare Faces Tough Choices on Ransom Payments Amid Rising Cyber Threats BIPC

CISA has issued a warning about a critical vulnerability, CVE-2024-5910, in Palo Alto Networks Expedition, a tool for migrating firewall configurations. This flaw allows attackers to remotely reset admin credentials on internet-exposed servers, potentially granting unauthorized access to sensitive information. Although a patch was released in July, ongoing exploits have been reported, with a vulnerability researcher demonstrating a proof-of-concept that combines this issue with another vulnerability, leading to unauthorized command execution. CISA advises administrators to limit network access to authorized users and to rotate credentials after applying the patch, highlighting the urgency due to a lack of updated security advisories from Palo Alto Networks.

CISA Warns of Critical Vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks Expedition Tool BleepingComputer

A recent report from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) indicates that many hospitals are not complying with price transparency regulations designed to provide patients with better access to healthcare costs. Out of 100 hospitals surveyed, 34 did not publish machine-readable files of their charges, and 14 failed to provide a consumer-friendly list of services. The report underscores the ongoing compliance challenges, particularly as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) lacks adequate resources for enforcing these rules. Despite the implementation of the price transparency rule in 2021, only 46% of the 5,800 hospitals required to comply have done so, with providers citing confusion over the requirements as a barrier, especially among smaller hospitals.

Hospitals Struggle with Price Transparency Compliance, Leaving Patients in the Dark Healthcare Dive

The 25th anniversary of the eHealthcare Leadership Awards was marked by a ceremony on November 10 at the Healthcare Internet Conference, recognizing over 200 organizations for their outstanding digital initiatives across 30 categories, including Best Digital Front Door and Best Overall Internet. The awards aim to underscore the significance of digital communications in meeting healthcare organizations' business goals, with notable winners like Hackensack Meridian Health and Intermountain Health receiving the top Mark Gothberg eHealthcare Organizational Commitment Award. The event was supported by various industry sponsors, reflecting the ongoing advancements in healthcare marketing and technology.

eHealthcare Leadership Awards Celebrate 25 Years of Digital Innovation in Healthcare eHealthcare Awards

Healthcare organizations are confronting a challenging decision regarding whether to pay ransomware demands after cyberattacks that risk sensitive patient data and critical services. The urgency to restore operations must be weighed against ethical and financial ramifications, as paying a ransom does not guarantee data recovery or future protection. Many providers experience severe operational disruptions and financial burdens from such incidents, prompting a search for best practices in cybersecurity. Experts recommend proactive strategies, including strong cybersecurity measures, staff training, and regular data backups, to minimize risks and reduce the likelihood of facing ransom demands in the first place. Collaborating with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts is also suggested to navigate the complexities associated with these attacks.

Healthcare Faces Tough Choices on Ransom Payments Amid Rising Cyber Threats BIPC

CISA has issued a warning about a critical vulnerability, CVE-2024-5910, in Palo Alto Networks Expedition, a tool for migrating firewall configurations. This flaw allows attackers to remotely reset admin credentials on internet-exposed servers, potentially granting unauthorized access to sensitive information. Although a patch was released in July, ongoing exploits have been reported, with a vulnerability researcher demonstrating a proof-of-concept that combines this issue with another vulnerability, leading to unauthorized command execution. CISA advises administrators to limit network access to authorized users and to rotate credentials after applying the patch, highlighting the urgency due to a lack of updated security advisories from Palo Alto Networks.

CISA Warns of Critical Vulnerability in Palo Alto Networks Expedition Tool BleepingComputer