The California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF) has released an update to its popular series of industry guides Implementing the Federal Health Privacy Rule in California, first published in February 2002. Prepared by the Health Privacy Project at Georgetown University, the supplements update the guides to conform to the recent modifications made to the final Federal Health Privacy Rule by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The three supplements detail changes and additions to federal and state privacy laws. They include:

• Update and Supplement to the Guide for Health Care Providers;
• Update and Supplement to the Guide for Health Insurers and Health Care Service Plans; and
• Update and Supplement to the Guide for Pharmacists, Physical Therapists, and Others.

The guides are intended to assist the health care industry in California implement the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). In August 2002, HHS issued significant modifications to the Federal Health Policy Rule. These supplements are an update to the original guide, not a substitute.

The new supplements are only available online in PDF format through the link below. There is no charge for the supplements or the original guides.

The Health Privacy Project is a part of the Institute for Health Care Research and Policy at Georgetown University. The Health Privacy Project is dedicated to raising public awareness of the importance of ensuring health privacy in order to improve health care access and quality, both on an individual and community level.