OCR will not enforce HIPAA rules at certain COVID-19 testing sites

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights it generally will not impose penalties for HIPAA rule violations on health care provider covered entities and their business associates operating COVID-19 community-based testing sites in good faith for the duration of the current national public health emergency. Community-based sites include mobile, drive-through or walk-up sites that provide only COVID-19 specimen collection or testing services to the public. OCR still encourages participating providers to implement reasonable safeguards to protect the privacy and security of individuals’ protected health information at the testing sites. The decision is retroactive to March 13.
Related News Articles
Headline
A study published April 8 by the Public Library of Science’s Journal of Global Public Health found that driving while infected with COVID-19 raises the risk of…
Headline
The Senate Finance Committee Feb. 4 voted 14-13 to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. A…
Headline
Respiratory illness activity remains high across the country, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seasonal flu…
Headline
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration Jan. 13 announced that it terminated efforts to establish a final COVID-19 safety standard to protect workers…
Headline
The Department of Health and Human Services Dec. 10 amended the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act declaration for COVID-19, extending liability…
Headline
AHA's latest social media toolkit for encouraging vaccination against the flu and COVID-19 provides fall-themed social media posts and graphics. Download the…