Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Health information technology

Jan 6, 2025 - Notice of proposed rulemaking from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seeking comments on a proposal to modify the Security Standards for the Protection of Electronic Protected Health Information ("Security Rule") under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (HITECH Act). Proposals are intended to increase the cybersecurity for electronic protected health information (ePHI) by revising the Security Rule to address changes in the environment in which health care is provided; significant increases in breaches and cyberattacks; common deficiencies the Office for Civil Rights has observed in investigations into Security Rule compliance by covered entities and their business associates; other cybersecurity guidelines, best practices, methodologies, procedures, and processes; and court decisions that affect enforcement of the Security Rule. Comments are due by March 7, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 30, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP) announces the dates for public meetings of the Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC) to be held throughout the 2025 calendar year.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 17, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) finalizing certain provisions of the August 5, 2024, proposed rule titled "Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability." Specifically, this rule finalizes a definition of reproductive healthcare for the purpose of information blocking regulations, revises two existing information blocking exceptions, and establishes a new information blocking exception referred to as the Protecting Care Access Exception. This rule is effective December 17, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 16, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) that seeks to advance interoperability, improve transparency, and support the access, exchange, and use of electronic health information. This final rule amends the information blocking regulations by including definitions related to the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) Manner Exception and corrects and updates current regulatory provisions of the ONC Health IT Certification Program. The rule also implements certain provisions related to TEFCA, which would support the reliability, privacy, security, and trust within TEFCA. This rule is effective January 15, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 13, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) adopting updated versions of the retail pharmacy standards for electronic transactions adopted under the Administrative Simplification subtitle of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). These updated versions are modifications to the currently adopted standards for the following retail pharmacy transactions: healthcare claims or equivalent encounter information; eligibility for a health plan; referral certification and authorization; and coordination of benefits. This final rule also adopts a modification to the standard for the Medicaid pharmacy subrogation transaction. This rule is effective February 11, 2025. Compliance with this rule is required by February 11, 2028.
Source: Federal Register
Nov 26, 2024 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) announcing the publication of the Common Agreement for Nationwide Health Information Interoperability, Version 2.1.
Source: Federal Register