HHS · OCR

Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act

2009 US law that strengthened HIPAA privacy, security, breach notification and enforcement; HHS OCR enforces the HIPAA rules that implement it.

At a glance

Short name
HITECH
Issuing / stewarding body
HHS, OCR
Jurisdiction
US
Also known as / related labels
HIPAA Security Rule · HIPAA Privacy Rule · HIPAA Breach Notification Rule · HIPAA Enforcement Rule · Public Law 116-321

What this entry covers

The HITECH Act was enacted in 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Public Law 111-5, Division A, Title XIII). Its privacy provisions extended HIPAA Security Rule obligations and liability to business associates, created the breach notification requirement, and increased enforcement penalties. HHS implements it through the HIPAA rules at 45 CFR Parts 160 and 164, enforced by the HHS Office for Civil Rights. Public Law 116-321 (2021) added Section 13412, which requires HHS to consider a regulated entity’s recognized security practices when setting fines and audit outcomes.

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Official documentation

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