Did you know the federal government can relax HIPAA rules when a natural disaster strikes to give health care providers the ability to act fast? It’s true. There was no better case study than with government’s response to Hurricane Sandy.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, otherwise known as CMS, approved waivers for New York and New Jersey to ease administrative and record-keeping rules. It also waived any penalties that might arise by violating certain HIPAA privacy regulations, according to Bloomberg.
Retroactive to late October, the waivers make it easier for health care providers to serve patients affected by Hurricane Sandy.
The now-notorious hurricane hit the East Coast in late October, causing widespread floods and power outages. Not only that, but it forced the evacuation of about 200 patients from NYU’s Langone Medical Center.
The U.S. Department of Health and Humans Services says the waivers will protect health care providers who are acting in good faith, but unable to comply with HIPAA because of extenuating circumstances.