This post was also written by Gina M. Cavalier.
Today the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking implementing provisions of the HITECH Act related to accounting for disclosures of protected health information (PHI). Pursuant to the HITECH Act and its more general authority under HIPAA, HHS proposed to divide the Privacy Rule provisions related to an accounting into two separate individual rights: (1) an accounting and, (2) an access report.
With respect to an accounting, HHS proposes that individuals have a right to an accounting of disclosures of PHI in a designated record set made by a covered entity or a business associate: (i) for impermissible purposes, (ii) for public health activities, (iii) for judicial and administrative proceedings, (iv) for law enforcement purposes, (v) to avert a serious threat to health or safety, (vi) for military and veterans activities, and (vii) for workers compensation. The proposed compliance date for this provision is 180 days after the effective date of the final rule.
With respect to the access report, HHS proposes to provide individuals with the right to receive a report detailing who has accessed their electronic PHI in a designated record set maintained by a covered entity or its business associates. HHS proposes that covered entities and business associates provide individuals with a right to an access report beginning January 1, 2013, for electronic designated record set systems acquired after January 1, 2009, and beginning January 1, 2014 for electronic designated record set systems acquired as of January 1, 2009.
Comments are due in 60 days – August 1, 2011.