	HIPAA Privacy Rule

Congress enacted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to improve portability and continuity of health insurance coverage. § 1320d-2), regulates the use and disclosure of protected health information. To allow health care providers in affected areas to care for patients without violating requirements of HIPAA, Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program, the HHS Secretary waived certain provisions. In the first Hurricane Katrina bulletin issued by HHS (HIPAA Privacy and Disclosures in Emergency Situations), the Department emphasized that the HIPAA Privacy Rule "allows patient information to be shared to assist in disaster relief efforts, and to assist patients in receiving the care they need." Electronic Health Records

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina, the federal government began a pilot test of KatrinaHealth.org , an electronic health record (EHR) online system, sharing prescription drug information for most of the hurricane evacuees with health care professionals. The website KatrinaHealth.org was available for a 90-day period.
Shortly after Hurricane Katrina, the federal government began a pilot test of KatrinaHealth.org, an online electronic health record (EHR) system that shared prescription drug information for hurricane evacuees with health care professionals. The website was available for a 90-day period. To allow health care providers in affected areas to care for patients without violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Leavitt waived certain provisions of the HIPAA Privacy Rule and issued guidance to clarify situations where the HIPAA privacy rule allows information sharing to assist in disaster relief efforts and with patient care.
This report discusses HHS's waiver of certain provisions of the HIPAA privacy rule and guidance issued by HHS with respect to the use and disclosure of protected health information under the HIPAA Privacy Rule in response to Hurricane Katrina. It also briefly discusses the development of electronic health records (EHRs) and provides a brief overview of KatrinaHealth.org. This report will be updated.