WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts (R-PA) is set to introduce the Health Exchange Security and Transparency Act. The legislation would require the Department of Health and Human Services to notify individuals of any breach on the health care law exchanges (both state and federal) that endangers personal data and information within 2 business days. The House is expected to vote on the measure on Friday. Read draft text of the legislation online here.
“The administration’s record of broken promises has given the American people every reason to doubt the security and readiness of the health care law. The administration knowingly launched a website before final security testing was completed after repeatedly testifying that everything was ‘on track,’ which we now know was not the case. Americans have the right to know if their personal information is jeopardized because of this law," said Chairman Pitts. “With this commonsense bill, we are demanding transparency from an administration that has gone out of its way to withhold information from the public when it comes to Obamacare. A prompt alert deserves strong, bipartisan support and should be fast-tracked to provide Americans peace of mind that their information is safe and secure."
“The health law was never ready for prime time, with important pieces of the exchange still yet to be built and adequate security testing yet to be completed. The administration’s lack of transparency in implementing this law raises serious concerns about the security of Americans’ personal health and financial information on the exchanges," said full committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI). “The Obama administration should embrace this effort for full disclosure when it comes to security breaches. There is nothing to hide when it comes to protecting Americans’ sensitive, personal information."
