Lawmakers Hope to Overhaul Privacy Rules for Substance-Use Disorders

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HIPAA, We Hardly Knew Ya –

August 14, 2019 – “If providers are unable to get the full picture of a patient’s condition, it can often have tragic consequences,” Blumenauer said in a statement to Modern Healthcare. “The AMA’s recognition of this has provided momentum in Congress to make meaningful reforms that will ensure physicians have all of the necessary information to provide care to all patients regardless of the possibility that they are suffering from a substance-use disorder.” The bill was close to making it into opioid package, but the AMA expressly opposed it and the effort died. Then in June of this year, the AMA’s House of Delegates changed its policy stance and voted to support alignment of 42 CFR Part 2 with HIPAA “for the purposes of treatment, payment and health care operations,” as long as appropriate safeguards are maintained. The legislation has both ardent supporters and detractors. Supporters say that given the ravages of the opioid epidemic, clinicians need to know whether they are prescribing opioids to people who have struggled with addiction. “There is no argument that the restrictions of 42 CFR Part 2 has cost lives,” Blumenauer said.