Health Department Privacy Rules Change

WASHINGTON (CN) – The Department of Health and Human Services plans to modify the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Privacy Rule’s standard for accounting of disclosures of protected health information. The changes are, in part, to implement the statutory requirement under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act) to require covered entities and business associates to account for disclosures of protected health information to carry out treatment, payment, and health care operations if such disclosures are through an electronic health record.     Under both the HITECH Act and its more general authority under the HIPAA, the agency proposes to expand the accounting provision to provide individuals with the right to receive an access report indicating who has accessed electronic protected health information in a designated record set. Under its more general authority under the HIPAA, the agency also proposes changes to the existing accounting requirements to improve workability and effectiveness.     Click the document icon for this regulation and others.