The government has issued a new rule to strengthen HIPAA by prohibiting the disclosure of protected health information (PHI) related to lawful reproductive health care in certain circumstances. This final rule is intended to bolster patient provider confidentiality and help promote trust and open communication between individuals and their healthcare providers or health plan carriers, which is essential for high quality healthcare. On April 22, 2024, HHS published final rules regarding privacy and reproductive healthcare, as well as privacy and substance use disorder records.
Key provisions include:
- Restrictions on PHI use related to reproductive health care;
- A new attestation requirement;
- Required updates to the HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.
The rules become effective July 15, 2024, with compliance required by December 18, 2024, and an extended deadline of February 16, 2026, for updates to the HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices. Next steps for Gravie involve updating policies, developing an attestation form, training staff, and updating the NPP for clients.