Dena Feldman of Covington & Burling writes:
On July 26, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar said that HHS will undertake an effort to reform federal health privacy rules, including those under HIPAA and the rules governing substance abuse treatment records at 42 C.F.R. Part 2 (Part 2). In speaking about efforts by the Trump Administration to improve value-based care efforts that improve efficiency and reward outcomes in clinical treatment, Secretary Azar said that, “in the coming months,” HHS plans to release requests for information on HIPAA and Part 2. Following those requests, HHS will undertake “regulatory action to reform these rules.” Secretary Azar noted that these rules hinder not only value-based care, but also efforts to combat opioid addiction.
Read more on Inside Privacy.