The Department of Health and Human Services has released a final rule that creates guidelines--including privacy and security provisions--for state insurance exchanges. GovInfoSecurity reports that the exchanges, which are called for under current healthcare reforms, aim to facilitate insurance coverage shopping for small businesses and individuals. Under the guidelines, the exchanges must use reasonable measures to protect consumer healthcare data and will be subject to civil fines of up to $25,000 per entity per use as well as other possible penalties, according to the report. The exchanges are also required to give individuals access to their data and the ability to make decisions over the collection and handling of it.
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