HHS proposes new HIPAA rule

The US Department of Health and Human Services has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) amending the HIPAA Privacy Rule, the federal law governing health care privacy and confidentiality. The changes are significant. They are intended to increase care coordination and case management and improve patient’s right to access their personal health information. Key changes include reducing the time a covered entity can reply to a request for information from 30 day 15 days and allowing patients to take notes or use personal resources to “capture or view” their information. We encourage hospitals to evaluate the proposed changes’ impact on their organizations and consider commenting with HHS directly. You can review the rule text and submit comments online. WSHA will be following the lead of the American Hospital Association on this issue, including relying on AHA to submit comments, and we will continue to share information and resources with members. Comments are due before March 22, 2021.