Coronavirus CARES ActOn March 27, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. Section 3221 allows for additional care coordination by aligning the 42 CFR Part 2 regulations, which govern the confidentiality and sharing of substance use disorder treatment records, with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This change has been part of AHIMA's Advocacy Agenda. Here is a summary of the Part 2 provisions in the CARES Act. If you were part of Virtual Hill Day on Tuesday, March 24, you will recognize this legislation as the Protecting Jessica Grubb’s Legacy Act, “Legacy Act”. The Legacy Act makes it easier to share substance abuse records for the purposes of treatment, payment and healthcare operations, while allowing patients to remain in control, as well as providing new protections not afforded under 42 CFR Part 2. 42 CFR Part 2 was passed into law in the 1970s, well before HIPAA and electronic medical records. Thank you to all members who participated in AHIMA’s Virtual Hill Day! Thank you for advocating on behalf of the HIM profession through the Advocacy Action Center. Advocacy in Action! AHIMA's Advocacy Initiative This Year: AHIMA's Request to Congress to modernize health information laws to help stem the tide of opioid misuse: Cosponsor and pass HR 2062, the Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act and S 3374, the Protecting Jessica Grubb's Legacy Act which more closely aligns Part 2 with HIPAA for purposes of healthcare treatment, payment and operations and strengthens protections around the use of substance use disorder records in criminal, civil and administrative proceedings. A little history:
Key points:
As the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) affects every sector of the US economy, the US Congress and the White House came together to provide funding, supplies and regulatory relief to address the crisis. The US Senate passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act on March 25, 2020. The US House of Representatives passed the CARE Act on March 27, and President Trump signed it into law later in the day on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act represents the third stimulus bill passed by Congress in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With $2 trillion in allocations, it is the largest stimulus bill in US history. |