AHA: COVID-19 HIPAA rules for telehealth expire

Editor's Note

The American Hospital Association (AHA), on August 9, announced that COVID-19 HIPAA rules for telehealth would expire at 11:59 pm.

The Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) implemented a HIPAA policy for telehealth during the COVID-19 public health emergency, which provided enforcement discretion to not impose penalties for HIPAA violations against healthcare providers using nonpublic facing remote communications technologies to provide telehealth.

When the COVID-19 public health emergency ended May 11, providers had a 90-day transition period to come into compliance. OCR has published guidance on using remote communications technologies for audio-only telehealth in compliance with HIPAA rules.

AHA says it urged Congress to make Medicare telehealth flexibilities granted during the COVID-19 public health emergency permanent for rural and other providers.