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OCR Director Defends HIPAA Updates: "The Cost of Doing Nothing Is Very High"

OCR director Paula Stannard told HIMSS attendees that the HHS Office for Civil Rights is still reviewing 4,700 public comments on the Biden‑era HIPAA Security Rule proposal, which would impose stricter controls and longer implementation timelines. She warned that the cost of a major cyber‑attack far outweighs compliance expenses, even as the incoming Trump administration’s deregulatory stance creates uncertainty about the rule’s future. Industry groups have already urged HHS to rescind the proposal, citing financial strain. Nonetheless, Stannard urged covered entities to keep prioritizing cyber‑risk mitigation.