HHS Office for Civil Rights Director Melanie Fontes Rainer on Progress and News at OCR
ERISA Blog | Changes to the HIPAA Privacy Rules A Primer for Self-Insured Group Health Plans
Podcast - Data Privacy and Tracking Technology Compliance
Patient Data and Privacy
2022 DSIR Deeper Dive: OCR’s Right of Access Initiative
HIPAA Tips With Williams Mullen - Telehealth After the Pandemic
Relaxed HIPAA Restrictions For Providers Using Telehealth
Webinar: Investigating and Resolving Sexual Assaults on Campus
Must a student with a disability prove that their school acted in “bad faith” to win a discrimination case? Until now, courts in some parts of the country said yes, requiring disabled students to meet a higher standard than...more
On February 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced the recission of “HHS Notice and Guidance on Gender Affirming Care, Civil Rights, and Patient Privacy” (the...more
On February 20, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a letter rescinding with immediate effect its March 2022 “HHS Notice and Guidance on Gender Affirming Care,...more
The U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a new resource that details its process for investigating retaliation claims and provides examples of cases it investigates. Released in...more
Applicable Provider Types: All - Is Your Entity in Compliance? Recent regulatory language makes clear that most healthcare providers must provide free auxiliary aids and services for patients with disabilities....more
Every school year, we receive calls from parents asking about how they can protect their child from being bullied. Bullying is a serious problem for any child. However, bullying is particularly a concern for children with...more
In this three-part series, we’ll review the latest federal civil rights guidance, including Title VI, ADA and Section 504, and Title IX. Part 1: Take a Close Look at Your Discrimination and Harassment Policies and...more
On August 9, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reversed the district court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on an employee’s...more
On May 6, 2024, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published its final rule revamping the non-discrimination regulations issued under § 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. The revised rules apply to all...more
With the beginning of a new academic year, many institutions are facing questions from pregnant and parenting students regarding academic adjustments or accommodations due to pregnancy, childbirth, or recovery therefrom....more
A recent “Dear Colleague” letter issued jointly by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education (OCR) places colleges and universities on notice of recent enforcement...more
In a joint “Dear Colleague” letter (DCL) released May 19, 2023, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights teamed up with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to make the public aware of both...more
On July 18, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released its revised Case Processing Manual (CPM), which was last updated in August 2020. The CPM outlines the procedures OCR uses to...more
The U.S. Department of Education recently announced its intent to amend the regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to “strengthen and protect rights for students with disabilities.” While the...more
What You Should Know •The HHS Office of Civil Rights has issued new guidance to covered healthcare entities regarding civil rights protections for persons with disabilities. •The guidance is based on protections under...more
There is little debate that the student mental health crisis at colleges and universities is at an all-time high. Just last month, news headlines shared the story of a university’s response to receiving an anonymous letter...more
In response to COVID-19 vaccination mandates and employer-mandated vaccination policies, federal agencies continue to issue guidance. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Health and Human...more
On September 30, 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR)issued guidance to help the public understand when the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996...more
When use or disclosure of an individual’s health information or medical records is at issue, the assumption seems to be, much more often than not, that the HIPAA privacy and security rules apply. This has certainly been the...more
Given the COVID-19 vaccine mandates, employers—including healthcare entities—will need to confirm their employees’ vaccination status. Employers and healthcare providers must ensure they comply with privacy rules relating to...more
On July 26, 2021, the White House issued a press release marking the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and announcing the publication of new guidance and resources dedicated to assisting disabled...more
This topic is raised fairly frequently by members of the National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment (NABITA). This Tip of the Week offers key understandings and best practices and is adapted from a...more
In honor of Data Privacy Day, we provide the following “Top 10 for 2021.” While the list is by no means exhaustive, it does provide some hot topics for organizations to consider in 2021...more
On June 9, 2020 the Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced it had reached an Early Case Resolution (ECR) with the State of Connecticut and a separate ECR with Hartford Hospital. Both ECRs involve...more
Hospitals, physicians, and other health care providers are facing unprecedented ethical and legal challenges related to the shortage of critical-care resources for patients during the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Some...more