FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Statement attributable to:
Bruce Siegel, MD, MPH
President and CEO
America’s Essential Hospitals
WASHINGTON — America’s Essential Hospitals appreciates the administration’s efforts to remove barriers to care coordination and facilitate information sharing by taking steps to modernize 42 CFR Part 2.
But barriers to coordinated care remain. We call on Congress to fully align Part 2 with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to allow the sharing of protected health information, without patient consent, between providers and caregivers for purposes related to treatment, payment, and health care operations.
The proposed changes are an important step toward removing barriers to sharing critical treatment information that hinder a whole-person care approach to treating substance use disorders. We look forward to continuing to work with the administration and Congress to fully align 42 CFR Part 2 with HIPAA requirements.
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About America’s Essential Hospitals
America’s Essential Hospitals is the leading champion for hospitals and health systems dedicated to high-quality care for all, including the most vulnerable. We support our more than 300 members with advocacy, policy development, research, and education. Communities depend on essential hospitals to provide specialized, lifesaving services; train the health care workforce; advance public health and health equity; and coordinate care. Essential hospitals innovate and adapt to lead the way to more effective and efficient care. Learn more at essentialhospitals.org.
Contact:
Carl Graziano
cgraziano@essentialhospitals.org
202.585.0102
