The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) proposed new changes to the HIPAA Privacy Rule.
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According to HHS, the proposed changes to the HIPAA Privacy Rule are to encourage care coordination and case management and to remove unnecessary burdens. HHS wants to expand individuals’ rights to access their own information as well.
Under the proposed rules, individuals would be able to inspect their protected health information (PHI) in person and take pictures of their PHI.
The proposed rule would also provide covered entities with a shorter window to give individuals their records. The proposal limits the response period from 30 days to 15 days.
Individuals would also have a reduced burden to prove their identity to access their PHI.
There are many other changes proposed in the proposed rule that will impact both covered entities and individuals.
The rule would change the requirements for covered entities and allow them to make uses and disclosures of PHI based on professional judgment and good faith belief that the use or disclosure is in the best interests of the individual, in some situations.
The covered entity will also be able to disclose PHI to avert a serious and reasonably foreseeable risk to health or safety, which is broader than the current ability to disclose PHI in light of a serious and imminent threat.
The proposed rule contains many proposed changes to the HIPAA Privacy Rule.
Once the rule is published in the Federal Register, there will be a 60 day comment period to respond to the proposed changes.
If you need help staying current with changing rules and regulations, reach out to Rickard & Associates today!
Let us know what you think of the proposed changes by commenting below.
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