AHA urges SAMHSA to align substance abuse confidentiality requirements with HIPAA

Proposed revisions to the regulation governing the confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records do not eliminate current barriers that impede the sharing of information essential for clinical care coordination and population health improvement in today’s patient care environment, the AHA today told the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. In a letter to the agency, AHA Senior Vice President and General Counsel Mindy Hatton said the proposal should be reevaluated to determine how to best align the Part 2 regulation with current Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act rules “that permit patient information to be used and disclosed for treatment, payment and health care operations without having to obtain individual patient consents. It also will be essential for SAMHSA to work with Congress to eliminate any barriers in the statute underlying the Part 2 regulation that prevent full alignment.”