HHS adopts rules on patient privacy breach.Federal health officials have announced new regulations requiring health care providers, health plans and others to notify patients when the privacy of their health information breached. The regulations, developed by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights, require health providers and others covered by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1996. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website, Title I of HIPAA protects health insurance coverage for workers and their families when to promptly notify affected patients of a privacy breach, as well as the HHS HHS Department of Health and Human Services. secretary and the media in cases where a breach affects more than 500 people. "These protections will be a cornerstone cornerstone Ceremonial building block, dated or otherwise inscribed, usually placed in an outer wall of a building to commemorate its dedication. Often the stone is hollowed out to contain newspapers, photographs, or other documents reflecting current customs, with a view to of maintaining consumer trust as we move forward with meaningful use of electronic health records and electronic exchange of health information," said Robinsue Frohboese, acting director and principal deputy director of the Office for Civil Rights. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Privacy breaches affecting fewer than 500 people will be reported to the HHS secretary yearly. The regulations were developed after considering public comments and after close consultation with the Federal Trade Commission, which has issued companion breach notification regulations that apply to vendors, such as those that offer and maintain personal health records. The interim final regulations, "Breach Notification for Unsecured Protected Health Information protected health information Health informatics Any individually identifiable health informatlon that is used or circulated by an entity that falls under the governance of HIPAA; the privacy regulations mandate safeguards for protected health information, and the : Interim Final Rule," which took effect in September, were published in the Aug. 24 Federal Register. More information is available at www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy. |
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