It’s the third month of the year 2022. So, it’s a great time to analyze predictions about upcoming HIPAA changes in 2022 and ponder compliance advancement. There are constant changes in the cybersecurity sphere, even though the last HIPAA Regulations were approved almost a decade ago. There are going to be a lot of changes this year. But it’s possible to overcome this temporary inconvenience with plain actions.
The Most Recent HIPAA Rules Update and Upcoming Changes
Currently, the latest refreshment was the HIPAA Omnibus Rule, launched in 2013. It considered the newish demands of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH).
On the 10th of December, 2020 the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (OCR) announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). It has suggested to the HIPAA Privacy Rule plenty of adjustments, but they are going to publish the Final Rule in 2022.
This NPRM aims to advance healthcare management, extend the patients’ right to reach their medical files, and decrease the difficulty of normative adjustment in the sphere of healthcare. Under the proposed rulemaking, the main aim is to give top priority to patients by decreasing some bureaucratic difficulties. It also accelerates the achievement of the purpose to build operational compatibility based on the HITECH Act and the 21st Century Cures Act.
The main expected changes also include more accessible disclosing of Protected Health Information (PHI) for coordination of aid and social care for healthcare providers, canceling of demand for patients’ approvement of receiving the Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP), revision of NPP obligations to make clear how patients should handle their personal rights, and probable alterations in the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) rules.
However, there is still no exact date, when new regulations will swing into action. Also, there probably will be new updates in the HIPAA requirements, that will demand adjustments in policies. Companies should maintain coaching to help employees follow new instructions.
Main Predictions About Changes in the Cybersecurity Sphere
The healthcare field is an essential spot for dishonest cyber villains. Cybersecurity experts pointed out predictions about possible shifts in the healthcare industry in 2022. Here are three major predictions to consider:
- The increase in ransomware attacks is expecting
- The deficiency of the labor force in the field of cybersecurity is continuing
- The sphere of health protection is going to cope with making cybersecurity protection better
Specialists noticed that ransomware appeared to be tougher than it was before because of the increasing number of double extortion being made and supply chain companies being attacked. Double extortion is a more cruel way of attacking. Before requesting the ransomware, hackers make an exfiltration of the information and then encryption of it. But if a company keeps up with HIPAA Requirements impeccably, it reduces the risk of being double extorted. A lot of ransomware attacks happened because of the simple non-compliance of HIPAA Risk Examination and Management rules.
Easy Steps to be Always Ready For Possible Alterations
So, there are going to be a lot of changes this year, but it’s possible to overcome this temporary inconvenience with plain actions. As we’ve mentioned before, the key is to hold on to HIPAA Compliance as much as possible. For more detailed steps, you can look through the checklist we’ve prepared in our guide “HIPAA Compliance Audit: How to Get Ready”.
But if you still have questions, you can always contact us regarding your question. We are open to new queries. 🙂
