Please ask your representatives and senators to co-sponsor HR 3545/S 1850, and to ensure that these bills are included in the upcoming opioid legislation. HR 3545/S 1850 would align current regulations for substance use disorder (SUD) records with existing patient protections for treatment, payment and health care operations, so that SUD and other medical records would be treated in the exact same way. This is essential to the work and mission of those treating patients with substance use disorders, and for their patients’ safety.
The Sisters of Charity Health system stands with the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA), in supporting this legislation in both the Senate and House to align substance use disorder records with other medical records under HIPAA. We and the CHA continue to urge Congress to pass this legislation, and to urge representatives to become cosponsors of HR 3545 and senators to cosponsor S 1850.
Fact Sheets: SUD Records
As Congress continues to consider the proposed changes for SUD records, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released two new fact sheets on the accessibility of SUD records under current regulations. The first, "Disclosure of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records: Does Part 2 Apply to Me?," defines the Part 2 Program and how health care providers can determine how Part 2 applies to them by depicting scenarios they might encounter when caring for patients. The second fact sheet, "Disclosure of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records: How Do I Exchange Part 2 Data?," describes how Part 2 applies to the electronic exchange of health care records with a Part 2 Program.
A sample letter is available by clicking here for you to send to your representatives.
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