This call for mandatory encryption of healthcare records isn’t some distant policy matter—it’s a deeply personal issue. I’ve seen firsthand the devastating effects of data breaches on people I care about. Close friends of mine have had their private medical records exposed in ways that can’t be undone. When they sought answers from their healthcare providers—the very people entrusted with their most sensitive details—there were no clear responses or protections in place.

No one should live in fear that their confidential medical information could be exposed for anyone to find online. Yet, shockingly, there’s no federal mandate requiring healthcare providers to encrypt patient data. This gap in our laws leaves millions vulnerable to data breaches, which have become disturbingly common. In fact, one-fourth of all data breaches in the past two years were related to healthcare, impacting countless lives and eroding patient trust.

We urgently need a federal regulation that mandates data encryption across the entire healthcare sector to protect patient privacy and uphold trust in our healthcare system. This is not just about policy—it’s about securing the personal, private stories of real people who deserve better protection.

Please join me in calling on lawmakers to require data encryption for all healthcare records. Signing this petition is a step toward stronger, life-changing protections that will ensure visits to the doctor remain private and safe, free from the fear of identity theft or exploitation. Stand with us to end medical data breaches once and for all. Sign now and help make a critical difference in patient privacy rights.

• Lessons From the Change Healthcare Ransomware Attack
• Why Encrypting All Patient Data Should Be the Gold Standard
• Change Healthcare Cybersecurity Incident
• Nearly 1M Medicare beneficiaries potentially affected after data breach
• Pharma giant's data breach exposes patients' sensitive information