Healthcare stories that stirred the most discussion among SmartBrief readers in May were reports on cybersecurity issues and the value of artificial intelligence technology in the medical field. People also wanted to know more about Affordable Care Act insurance enrollment and affordability challenges.
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Healthcare cybersecurity reimagined
What happened: Chief Healthcare Executive reported that the health sector remains the top target for ransomware attacks, with hospitals bracing for greater risk amid escalating financial strain. FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey commented on the sector’s vulnerability during an American Hospital Association meeting. “We’re no longer talking about a data crime,” Bailey said. “We’re talking about physical harm to patients.” The AHA’s national adviser for cybersecurity, John Riggi, said the sector needs help from the federal government to keep attacks at bay. The average cost of a healthcare cybersecurity breach today is about $7.4 million.
What’s next: A new AHA and Joint Commission partnership aims to help health systems bolster their cybersecurity infrastructure and ward off attacks. The Cyber Resilience Readiness initiative is designed to reach beyond restoring breached networks and focus more closely on patient care. There also will be a new cyber-resilience readiness certification program for hospitals, officials said. Riggi said that the situation is improving in some ways, with increased cooperation between the “private, critical infrastructure sectors and the federal government” in recent years. Read the AHA’s annual report on cybercrime.
Health privacy rules rewritten
What happened: Axios reported that in the wake of the 2024 Change Healthcare cyberattack, a major rewrite of federal health privacy rules could lead to greater penalties for facilities hit by breaches. The changes will mark the most significant HHS update to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act rules in 13 years. Hospitals will have to implement protocols, such as multifactor authentication, threat scanning and encryption, which could add $9 billion in costs the first year and $6 billion a year later.
What’s next: Under the new rules, health organizations will be required to demonstrate documented protection of patient information, greater visibility into the location of patient data, and more defined, consistent responses to attacks. The changes are expected to take effect this year.
By the first week of June, there had been 772 healthcare data breaches affecting 500 or more people in the US, a HIPAA Journal analysis found. The attacks involved the protected health data of nearly 140 million people overall. Read the overview of last year’s largest healthcare cyberbreaches.
AI’s value examined
What happened: A virtual event hosted by the New England Journal of Medicine examined value alignment as a central issue for the implementation of AI technology. Panelists stressed the need for continuous evaluation and adaptation of AI platforms, stringent governance, and transparency among clinicians. Dr. David Rhew of Microsoft pointed out that AI models trained and validated in only one environment aren’t likely to translate to other areas without adjustment. Ashok Chennuru of Elevance spoke about the importance of evaluating platforms for potential bias, fairness, privacy, robustness and explainability. Dr. Meera Atkins of Lyric pointed out that the quality of AI systems is only as good as the data that underpin them.
What’s next: The panelists noted in a Healthcare Innovation report that the success of clinical AI technology will depend on how well health facilities handle stakeholder incentives, data strategies, real-world governance and technology decisions that put patients at the center.
ACA enrollment evaluated
What happened: A report from The Hill found that state-based Affordable Care Act insurance marketplaces have seen major enrollment declines since the expiration of enhanced premium subsidies in late 2025. Early CMS data showed a decrease of more than 1 million enrollees so far this year, for a total of about 23 million people, and many who remain have switched to higher-deductible plans that mean bigger out-of-pocket outlays. “There’s no question people are being priced out of the marketplace right now,” observed Jessica Altman of Covered California.
What’s next: Consumers are likely to have fewer ACA plan choices in the future, with insurers Cigna Group and Aetna exiting the marketplace. A recent Commonwealth Fund analysis shows what the enrollment picture will look like as 2026 progresses. Analysts projected that 2026 enrollment will show a 17% to 26% decline over 2025, and coverage losses are likely to increase more in 2027.