Health Infrastructure Security and Accountability Act of 2024

The Health Infrastructure Security and Accountability Act of 2024 establishes new security requirements for hospitals and health care providers to protect patient information. It creates minimum security standards for all covered entities (hospitals, health systems, etc.) and enhanced standards for those deemed "systemically important" to health care. The bill requires annual security risk assessments, stress testing of information systems, and independent audits, with civil penalties for non-compliance up to $5,000 per day. It also provides Medicare incentives for adopting cybersecurity practices and payment reductions for non-adoption, while allowing hardship exceptions for providers facing significant challenges like natural disasters or cybersecurity incidents.