HHS Awards $15 Million to Support Telehealth Providers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

14. May 2020 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded $15 million to 159 organizations across five health workforce programs to increase telehealth capabilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These awards demonstrate the Trump Administration’s continued efforts and commitment to building a national telehealth infrastructure. ...

OCR Secures Agreement with West Virginia to Protect Persons in Recovery from Opioid Use Disorder from Discrimination on the Basis of Disability

14. May 2020 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
Today, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it has entered into a voluntary resolution agreement (VRA) with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, including persons in recovery from Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) to ...

Secretary Azar Statement on Senate Confirmation of Brett Giroir to WHO Executive Board

09. May 2020 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
On Thursday, the Senate confirmed Admiral Brett Giroir, M.D., to serve as the United States representative on the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board, in addition to his duties as Assistant Secretary for Health. HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued the following statement: “Admiral Giroir is a superbly qualified science and public health leader, perfectly suited ...

HHS Awards More than Half Billion Dollars Across the Nation to Expand COVID-19 Testing

08. May 2020 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded nearly $583 million to 1,385 HRSA-funded health centers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and eight U.S. territories to expand COVID-19 testing. Nearly 88 percent of HRSA-funded health centers report testing patients, with more ...

HHS Extends Deadline for Attestation, Acceptance of Terms and Conditions for Provider Relief Fund Payments to 45 Days

08. May 2020 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
The Department of Health and Human Services has extended the deadline for healthcare providers to attest to receipt of payments from the Provider Relief Fund and accept the Terms and Conditions. Providers will now have 45 days, increased from 30 days, from the date they receive a payment to attest and accept the Terms and ...

Secretary Azar Statement on National Nurses Day

07. May 2020 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
Wednesday, May 6, marks National Nurses Day, for which President Trump issued the first-ever Presidential Proclamation emphasizing the importance of the occasion. HHS Secretary Alex Azar issued the following statement to commemorate the day: “Our healthcare system and our country depend on the dedicated, tireless work of our more than 3 million nurses. Every day, ...

OCR Issues Guidance on Covered Health Care Providers and Restrictions on Media Access to Protected Health Information about Individuals in Their Facilities

06. May 2020 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
Today, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued additional guidance reminding covered health care providers that the HIPAA Privacy Rule does not permit them to give media and film crews access to facilities where patients’ protected health information (PHI) will be accessible without the patients’ ...

COVID-19 Funding Available to Minority, Rural and Socially Vulnerable Communities for Linkages to Services, Information and Education

02. May 2020 EHR, EMR, Health, HIPAA 0
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health (OMH) announced a competitive funding opportunity to invest up to $40 million for the development and coordination of a strategic network of national, state, territorial, tribal and local organizations to deliver important COVID-19-related information to racial and ethnic minority, rural and socially vulnerable ...