HIPAA Blog

[ Friday, July 19, 2019 ]

 

As you should know, while HIPAA has pretty strict rules for most covered entities, those that provide services in the substance abuse arena are often subject to even more strict rules. Called the "Part 2 Rules" since they come from 42 CFR Part 2, they basically prohibit the disclosure of patient information by federally-supported substance abuse centers unless the patient gives specific consent for the particular disclosure. 

As with any privacy rules, the stricter the rules, the worse the utility of the data.  And in the substance abuse arena, allowing patient privacy serves a great good (patients won't be afraid to seek care due to the fear their addiction will be disclosed), but that same privacy can prevent programs from providing the help that patients need.  This can be particularly troubling in the face of the opioid epidemic.

HHS is proposing to revise those rules somewhat to allow better sharing of data between providers.  It will be interesting to see how it plays out; parties from both sides will be likely to weigh in.

Jeff [3:39 PM]

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