Maine Reverts Back to Opt-Out Approach for HIE In my previous post (April 26, 2011), I discussed legislation proposed by privacy advocates in Maine which would require, among other things, that patients “opt-in” before any information could be collected, accessed or disclosed through...
One NJ HIE pilot is testing “plug in” software that scans data residing in the HIE repository and “tags” it where certain terms are found which correspond to rules developed around state and federal laws restricting access to such information unless certain pre-conditions have been met, such as the patient giving prior written consent. Once identified, the tagged data element, or document if it is not a discrete data segment, is removed from viewing, but leaving a “flag” noting that certain information is incomplete and that additional requirements need to be met before it can be accessed i.e., the patient’s affirmative consent has been obtained.
Maine Considers Opt-In Requirement for HIEs New legislation has been proposed by privacy advocates in Maine that would govern how patient information is shared through the statewide HIE, HealthInfoNet. LD 1337, which is entitled “The Act to Ensure Patient Privacy and Control with...
Kansas Aligns State Privacy Laws with HIPAA as HIE Standard Today, the State of Kansas’ Senate committee approved (by a vote of 39-0) Senate Bill 133 to align the state’s privacy laws with HIPAA. The Kansas Health Information Exchange, Inc. (the state’s RHIO) testified before the Senate...
ONC Announces Launch of “Direct Project” Pilots In a Press Release posted today, February 2nd, ONC announced that providers and public health agencies in Minnesota and Rhode Island began this month exchanging health information using specifications developed by the Direct Project, which...
HHS Announces New Funding to Help States Implement Affordable Care Act Posted today on HHS’ Website: Today, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced a new funding opportunity for grants to help states continue their work to implement a key provision of the...
ACO Pilots for New Jersey — Will they “fly”? The New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute (NJHCQI) brought together several distinguished experts to discuss the development of and implications for the new accountable care organization (ACO) models and rules being established on a...
(meta-data) “TAG, You-Are-It” (ONC, CMS, DHHS) ! This December 2010, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (“PCAST”) released its Report titled “Realizing the Full Potential of Health Information Technology to Improve Healthcare for Americans: The Path Forward,”...
ACOs – Progressive HIEs, or Clinical Integration Déjà vu? During my (long) flight back from the Southwest yesterday, an article in the Wall Street Journal caught my eye. It was entitled “Embracing Incentives for Efficient Health Care” and prompted me to think about similarities...
Another Kind of HIE — Health Insurance Exchanges & Recent NPRM The Affordable Care Act (ACA), enacted in March 2010, requires states to establish Health Insurance Exchanges through which individuals and small businesses can purchase affordable insurance. Under the ACA, a state...
OPM May Delay Launch of Massive Fed Health Database In response to mounting privacy concerns, the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may delay the proposed November 15th launch date of its Health Claims Data Warehouse. In early October, the OPM’s notice in the Federal Register...
NCVHS Defines What Sensitive Info HIEs Should Sequester Prepared by Krystyna Nowik, Esq. The National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) released an advisory letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on November 10 addressing recommendations for the...
ACLU Lawsuit Continues . . . Want Detailed Regulations Surrounding HIE Privacy The Rhode Island chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) suit against the Rhode Island Department of Health (RI-DOH) remains in litigation, awaiting completion of discovery. The ACLU alleges that...
Drug and Alcohol Treatment Info “Ok” to Go Over the summer, the ONC and SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) held a session to discuss the application of the Substance Abuse Confidentiality Regulations to electronic health information exchange through HIOs...
HIE Liability and Insurance Liability continues to be a central concern for HIEs and their stakeholders. In general, liability may arise from the acts or omissions of a party that fails to meet a responsibility or legal duty. Last year, I discovered an excellent resource that...