Enforcement Discretion Regarding Online or Web-Based Scheduling Applications for the Scheduling of Individual Appointments for COVID-19 Vaccination During the COVID-19 Nationwide Public Health Emergency
public-health · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · Rule · Published 2021-02-24 · Effective 2020-12-11 · 86 FR 11139
Document
Document number
2021-03348
Federal Register citation
86 FR 11139
CFR reference
45 CFR 160
Type
Rule
Action
Notification of Enforcement Discretion.
Category
public-health
Sub-agency
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Publication date
2021-02-24
Effective date
2020-12-11
Abstract
This Notification is to inform the public that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is exercising its discretion in how it applies the Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules promulgated under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act ("HIPAA Rules"). As a matter of enforcement discretion, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will not impose penalties for noncompliance with regulatory requirements under the HIPAA Rules against covered health care providers or their business associates in connection with the good faith use of online or web-based scheduling applications for the scheduling of individual appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency.