Healthcare organizations continue to be prime targets of cyberattacks. It is well-established that cyberattacks can lead to financial loss, reputational damage, and, in some cases, risks to patient care and safety. The recent...more
On February 16, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through its Office for Civil Rights and its Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (“SAMHSA”), published the long-awaited Final Rule...more
After a nearly two-year delay, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Office for Civil Rights, promulgated a Final Rule...more
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), has announced a final rule (the Rule) updating the...more
On February 8, 2024, the federal Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records regulations at 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) were revised in part to increase patient protection and streamline patient consent...more
Last week, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a long-awaited final reg that aims to better align 42 CFR Part 2. This...more
On February 8, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through its Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), released final rule (Final Rule)...more
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed to significantly revise rules governing patient records in substance use disorder (SUD) programs, commonly known as the Part 2 rules, with important...more
On November 28, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking...more
Increasing mental health care needs for minors present a range of legal issues for children, parents, health care providers and health care payors. While state laws typically govern who has the power to consent to or refuse...more
42 C.F.R. Part Two (“Part 2”) addresses the protection of substance use disorder (SUD) patient records, which are records held by SUD treatment programs that receive federal financial assistance (e.g., from Medicare or...more
Report on Patient Privacy 20, no. 8 (August 2020) - HHS changed its tone on care coordination and case management in the final Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records regulation (42 C.F.R. § 2), known...more
On July 13, 2020, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced changes to the Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records regulation, 42 CFR Part 2, effective August 14, 2020....more
On July 13, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the adoption of revised Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records regulations in an effort to improve care...more
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), [1] signed into law March 27, 2020, significantly overhauls the federal law that governs the confidentiality of substance use disorder (“SUD”) records at...more
The Situation: The two-year grace period for updating agreements of "lawful holders" (i.e., recipients named on patient consent forms obtained pursuant to the Part 2 Rule) with contractors, subcontractors, and legal...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Recent changes to the federal rules governing confidentiality of substance use disorder (SUD) patient records may require updates to agreements between group health plans and their third-party vendors....more
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has released proposed amendments to the regulations governing the Confidentiality of Substance Abuse Disorder Treatment Records. The amendments are intended to improve...more
This week’s episode is the second in an ongoing series focusing on recent efforts by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to update 42 C.F.R. Part 2 (Part 2) regulations related to the...more
This episode is the first in a series focusing on recent efforts by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to update 42 C.F.R. Part 2 (Part 2) regulations related to the confidentiality of...more
Our representation of behavioral health and substance abuse programs has required us to stay in tune to issues involving special confidentiality of patient records under 42 CFR Part 2, also known as the SAMHSA regulations The...more
SAMHSA has released a long-awaited proposed rule that would modify the federal regulations at 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2) governing the confidentiality of substance use disorder (SUD) patient records created by federally assisted...more
On August 26, 2019, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS") and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration ("SAMHSA") issued a proposed rule amending the regulations governing the...more
On August 22, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (“SAMHSA”) announced a new proposed rule (the “Proposed Rule”) amending 42 CFR part 2 (“Part 2”), which is aimed at protecting patient records...more
On August 22, 2019, providers and other health industry participants involved in the provision of substance use disorder (SUD) services got some welcome news in the form of proposed regulatory changes. The U.S. Department of...more