The Washington Report

February 28, 2024

Note to Subscribers

While we do our best to provide timely updates, it is possible that the information shared in the newsletter may change after our publication deadline.

Executive

 

SOTU Address Scheduled for March 7
President Biden is scheduled to deliver his annual State of the Union (SOTU) address on March 7, 2024.

President Expected to Release 2025 Fiscal Budget Request to Congress on March 11
President Biden is scheduled to release his 2025 fiscal budget request to Congress on March 11. Passage of the complete budget is unlikely, as proposals are typically intended as a framework for legislative discussion.

Health

 

OCR Delivers Annual Reports On HIPAA Compliance and Breaches of Unsecured Protected Health Information
Recently, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued two Reports to Congress on HIPAA compliance and enforcement, specifically, on HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rule Compliance and Breaches of Unsecured Protected Health Information. These reports are required to be submitted to Congress annually by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act. “The HIPAA rules provide the minimum required privacy and security safeguards for protected health information, and give individuals rights with respect to that information, such as the right to access their health information. These reports help regulated entities (such as most health care providers, health plans, and health care clearinghouses) and their business associates in their HIPAA compliance efforts by sharing steps taken by OCR to investigate complaints, breach reports, and compliance reviews regarding potential violations of the HIPAA Rules. The reports include important data on the number of HIPAA cases investigated, areas of noncompliance, and insights into trends such as cybersecurity readiness.”

The news release is available here.

The OCR’s 2022 Report to Congress on HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rule Compliance is available here.

The OCR’s 2022 Report to Congress on Breaches of Unsecured Protected Health Information is available here.