HHS has released guidance to address how the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule applies to various entities’ requests for information related to an individual’s COVID-19 vaccination status. This week’s Friday Five highlights five FAQ’s regarding HIPAA, the COVID-19 vaccination and the workplace.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights issued guidance to help the public understand when the HIPAA Privacy Rule applies to disclosures and requests for information about whether a person has received a COVID-19 vaccine.
By Rachana Pradhan – President Joe Biden’s failure to name someone to lead the Food and Drug Administration, more than 10 months after the election, has flummoxed public health experts who say it’s baffling for the agency to be without a permanent leader during a national health crisis.
To increase vaccination coverage and protect more people from COVID-19, including the more transmissible Delta variant, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will require more than 25,000 members of its health care workforce to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has awarded 100 grants to increase access to facilities throughout the nation that provide community-based support for Americans in need of substance use disorder and mental health treatment services.
Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Health Resources and Services Administration provided $398 million in funding through the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program (SHIP) to 1,540 small rural hospitals for COVID-19 testing and mitigation.
By Julie Rovner – The Biden administration will support whatever expansions to Medicare Congress is willing to make, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said recently. Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill are working on plans both to add benefits to the health program for seniors and to lower its eligibility age from 65 to 60.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health announced $250 million in grant awards to 73 local governments as part of a new, two-year initiative to identify and implement best practices for improving health literacy to enhance COVID-19 vaccination and other mitigation practices among underserved populations.
Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, the Biden Administration is investing more than $3 billion to accelerate the discovery, development and manufacturing of antiviral medicines as part of the Biden Administration’s whole-of-government strategy to develop the next generation of COVID-19 treatments.
Below is a letter sent by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to insurers and providers following recent reports of ongoing concerns about Americans facing costs associated with COVID-19 vaccinations or testing.
We’ve rounded up some of the latest news and announcements pertaining to the coronavirus and the pharmaceutical industry. News from Cognovi Labs, Affinity Empowering, Mayo Clinic, HHS, HRSA, Healthline, FDA, Clinical Trials Arena, UL and more.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that Health Resources and Services Administration Health Center Program-funded health centers and Health Center Program look-alikes have administered more than 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses nationwide—with 61% provided to racial and ethnic minorities.