HHS rulemaking to strengthen abortion protection under HIPAA

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights published a notice of proposed rulemaking to prohibit the use or disclosure of health data "to investigate, or prosecute patients, providers, and others involved in the provision of legal reproductive health care, including abortion care." HHS said patients, providers and organizations have advocated for strengthening the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to "protect patient-provider confidentiality and prevent private medical records from being used against people for merely seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating lawful reproductive health care."