HIPAA and COVID-19: Privacy Protections Still Control in Case of Pandemic

As noted in our recent alert listed below, the HIPAA Privacy Rule is not suspended during a public health or other emergency. However, the Secretary of Health & Human Services may waive certain portions of the Privacy Rule during an emergency. Effective as of March 15, 2020 (and retroactive to March 1, 2020), HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued a limited waiver of HIPAA sanctions and penalties. Even with this limited waiver in place, HHS continues to stress the importance of appropriately sharing healthcare information and maintaining healthcare privacy protections during the COVID-19 pandemic situation.Continue Reading UPDATE – HHS Announces Limited HIPAA Waiver for Hospitals