From the Diagnosing Health Care Podcast: How have complaints of information blocking been submitted to the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC), and by whom? What does government enforcement action really look like?
In this episode of our special series on interoperability, hear from ONC attorneys Cassie Weaver and Rachel Nelson.
On July 8, two weeks following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson that invalidated the constitutional right to abortion, President Biden signed Executive Order 14076 (E.O.). The E.O. directed federal agencies to take various actions to protect access to reproductive health care services,[1] including directing the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to “consider actions” to strengthen the protection of sensitive healthcare information, including data on reproductive healthcare services like abortion, by issuing new guidance under the Health Insurance and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).[2]
Continue Reading Biden Administration Seeks to Clarify Patient Privacy Protections Post-Dobbs, Though Questions Remain
Featured on the Diagnosing Health Care Podcast: How is openEHR transforming the way health data is managed and stored across Europe? Will it soon disrupt the U.S. marketplace?
In this episode of our special series on interoperability, hear from Alastair Allen, CTO of Better.
In this episode of the Diagnosing Health Care Podcast: In the past decade, certified electronic health records (EHRs) have been instrumental in transforming medical records from paper to digital formats.
What obstacles are currently preventing providers from sharing patient data with each other or patients from sharing health information from their personal devices with their providers? In this episode of our special series on interoperability, hear from Tomaž Gornik, founder and CEO of Better.
Continue Reading Podcast: Interoperability: A New Vision Through openEHR – Diagnosing Health Care
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to imminently issue its opinion in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (“Dobbs”). If the Court rules in a manner to overturn Roe v. Wade, states will have discretion in determining how to regulate abortion services.[1] Such a ruling would overturn nearly 50 years of precedent, leaving patients, reproductive health providers, health plans, pharmacies, and may other stakeholders to navigate a host of uncharted legal issues. Specifically, stakeholders will likely need to untangle the web of cross-state legal issues that may emerge.
Continue Reading The Pendulum Swings Both Ways: State Responses to Protect Reproductive Health Data, Post-Roe
Establishing and maintaining effective systems to protect sensitive personal data and confidential business information from outside interference while also assuring that privacy interests are protected is among an organization’s highest priorities. Our security and privacy team at Epstein Becker & Green has written extensively about the guidance and best practices issued by federal and state regulatory and enforcement agencies. Execution, monitoring and continually updating these preventive practices define an organization’s first line of defense. But what happens in the event that an organization actually suffers a breach? Is there guidance that might be available, particularly to healthcare organizations, to deal with continuity and disaster planning (BC/DR) directed towards assuring resilience and recovery in the event of a potentially-disastrous cyberattack?
Continue Reading Hacking Healthcare: Cyberattack Contingency Planning and Response
Connecticut becomes the fifth state to pass a comprehensive privacy law. Are you prepared for state privacy law compliance required in 2023?
Continue Reading Where Is the Tipping Point – Comprehensive State Privacy Law Update
The past several years have proven difficult for healthcare entities due to increasing cybersecurity threats, breaches and regulatory enforcement. Following these trends, on April 6, 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a Request for Information (RFI) soliciting public comment on how regulated entities are voluntarily implementing security practices under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (HITECH Act) and also seeking public input on sharing funds collected through enforcement with individuals who are harmed by Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) rule violations.
Continue Reading HIPAA Enforcers Seek Public Input on Recognized Security Practices and Sharing Enforcement Recoveries with Affected Individuals
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently submitted two reports to Congress setting forth the HIPAA breaches and complaints reported to OCR during calendar year 2020 as well as the enforcement actions taken by OCR in response to those reports. HIPAA covered entities should be aware of the trends identified in these reports and should examine their own compliance in these areas.
Continue Reading HHS OCR Issues Annual HIPAA Reports to Congress
On March 28, 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced the resolution of two additional cases as part of OCR’s HIPAA Right of Access Initiative.
Continue Reading HIPAA Enforcement Continues Under Right of Access Initiative