Regulations establishing procedures for the imposition of civil monetary penalties for violations of the privacy, electronic transactions and security rules of HIPAA will remain in place for another year, according to an interim final rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The procedural rule was slated to expire, but HHS opted to extend it until Sept. 16, 2005, to "avoid disruption of ongoing enforcement actions" while the agency continues to develop a "more comprehensive enforcement rule," AHA News Now reported.

The interim final rule did not address the 19 comments submitted to HHS in response to the original procedural rule, including those of the American Hospital Association (AHA). In its June 2003 written comments, AHA called for closer alignment with HHS’ Office of Inspector General civil money penalty procedures, a less punitive enforcement approach to HIPAA transactions and better guidance on how to handle violations of the privacy law, the report stated.

A copy of the new ruling can be found at www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a040915c.html under "Health and Human Services Department."

Read the complete article at Advance online