HIPAA update inches closer to reality

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has passed the HIPAA request for information (RFI) to the Office of Management and Budget for review. The RFI seeks public input on how HIPAA poses barriers and discourages coordinated care. While efforts to reform HIPAA are ongoing, the enforcement of HIPAA security is expected to remain strict. Healthcare providers are interested in sharing data to improve population health, despite perceived obstacles from HIPAA.