WEDI Comments on Proposed Privacy Rule

WEDI recently submitted comments in response to the Human Services (HHS) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking entitled “Proposed Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support, and Remove Barriers to, Coordinated Care and Individual Engagement,” published on January 21, 2021.

Charles Stellar, WEDI president and CEO, says, “In outlining a wide variety of proposed modifications to the current HIPAA Privacy rule, the Department is taking an important step toward reducing impediments to more efficient care coordination and care delivery. It is critical, however, that as the Office for Civil Rights removes barriers to improve information communication, the underlying confidentiality framework must be maintained. While there are tremendous opportunities associated with new data exchange technologies, the industry must continue to be vigilant in protecting the privacy of patient information.”

WEDI believes modifying the current HIPAA requirements has the potential of significantly improving the ability of the health care industry to facilitate efficient care coordination and promote the transformation to value-based health care. At the same time, WEDI cautions the HHS not to proceed with initiatives that create additional administrative burden on stakeholders with little or no benefit to the patient.

Source: WEDI