S.Amdt. 6445

The amendment, titled the Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026, aims to add a new subtitle to the bill to strengthen the cybersecurity of the Healthcare and Public Health Sector.

Its purpose is to improve how the government protects health information and responds to cyber threats through the following changes:

• Government Coordination: It requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to coordinate resources and create a joint plan for responding to significant cybersecurity incidents.

• New Requirements: It directs the Secretary to update regulations requiring non-governmental health entities, covered entities, and business associates to use minimum risk-based practices, such as encryption and multifactor authentication.

• Support for Rural Health: It mandates the creation of guidance and technical assistance specifically for rural entities to improve their cybersecurity readiness.

• Funding and Workforce: It allows the Secretary to award grants to eligible entities (like nonprofit hospitals and rural health clinics) to hire experts, update systems, and conduct risk assessments. It also requires a strategic plan to grow the healthcare cybersecurity workforce.

• Accountability and Reporting: It requires the Secretary to delegate a representative for oversight, submit annual reports on the state of sector cybersecurity, and convene a working group to reduce duplicative incident reporting.