Since the Health and Human Services Department Healthcare Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (HCCIC) opened in May 2017, Congress members have questioned whether it’s needed and its work was interrupted after two top officials left in an ethics cloud last fall, according to media reports. Nevertheless, HCCIC has a new acting director, Al Roeder, who plans to explain how the center’s work aligns with that of other federal organizations at a Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society conference in March, G2Exchange Health reported Feb. 5.
Roeder is an information security and forensics specialist at HHS.
HCCIC might add to industry confusion caused by overlapping and duplicative federal cybersecurity rules and alerts, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), suggested during a June 21, 2017, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on harmonizing cyber regulations, FCW reported. HCCIC is considered the HHS version of the Homeland Security Department’s National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC), Federal News Radio reported in April 2017.
In September 2017, HCCIC Executive Sponsor Leo Scanlon was put on administrative leave and Director Maggie Amato left government amid investigation said to be about contract irregularities, Politico reported in November. The two executives disputed the allegations and reported alleged mistreatment to Congress.
