COVID-19, Info Blocking Provisions: Time for HIPAA Compliance Checkup
“The information blocking provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act officially went into effect this week, putting into focus the Department of Health and Human Services’ regulatory and compliance effort around HIPAA-required data sharing between applicable healthcare entities,” writes Jessica Davis in Health IT Security.
“Enacted by the 21st Century Cures Act in 2017 and implemented by a final rule in 2020, Congress defined information blocking and established penalties for providers that engage in practices that interfere with the access, exchange, and use of electronic health information.”
“The long-awaited info blocking provision established rules and penalties for non-compliance. The law carves out exclusions for providers if they meet an exception established by the HHS Secretary, or for other applicable reasons.”
“Starting April 5, relevant covered entities and business associates must comply. The Office for the National Coordinator recently released insights on just what the law’s enactment means for those relevant providers, as well as the areas HHS will focus on in the next 18 months.”