HIPAA Privacy Regulations Changed

The Department of Health and Human Services has issued major changes in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Regulations, effective March 26. These changes include a significant modification in the definition of Protected Health Information: “…individually identifiable health information of a person who has been deceased for more than 50 years is not protected health information under the Privacy Rule.” Archivists with responsibility for records subject to HIPAA are urged to consult with legal counsel regarding the implications of the changes. For more, see the Science, Technology, and Healthcare Roundtable’s website.