North Texas News

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Chairman of the House Budget Committee Health Care Task Force, along with members of the Congressional Doctors Caucus, have penned a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urging immediate action following the Change Healthcare ransomware attack on February 21st.

In the letter, the GOP Doctors Caucus emphasized the importance of holding those responsible for the attack accountable, addressing vulnerabilities exposed by the breach, and ensuring that America's healthcare providers receive the necessary support and information promptly. The co-chairs of the GOP Doctors Caucus stressed, "It is imperative that providers, patients, health systems, health plans, and vendors, receive needed information and resources promised by CMS."

Expressing concern over the impact of the ransomware attack on the American healthcare system, the letter highlighted the disruptions caused to patients, doctors, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals due to outages in systems used for medical billing and insurance claims. The GOP Doctors Caucus urged CMS to utilize its existing authorities to ensure that support is delivered to providers as promised.

The letter also addressed the urgency of the situation, calling for immediate action from CMS to ensure that all providers receive the necessary resources and information to mitigate the impact of the ransomware attack. The GOP Doctors Caucus raised concerns about the inadequacy, unpredictability, and slowness of commercial insurer payments, emphasizing the need for timely resolution and support for all affected providers.

Highlighting the critical nature of the healthcare system and the risks posed by cybersecurity attacks, the letter underscored the importance of safeguarding healthcare infrastructure. The GOP Doctors Caucus emphasized the need for Change Healthcare operations to be reinstated securely and for CMS to effectively communicate with providers regarding the available resources.

In conclusion, the letter urged CMS to recognize the severity of the situation, address the disruption promptly, and work towards ensuring the safety and stability of the American healthcare system in the face of cybersecurity threats.