NIST Seeks Comment on Planned Updates to HIPAA Security Rule Implementation Guidance
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is planning on revising and updating its guidance on implementing the HIPAA Security Rule and is seeking comment from stakeholders on aspects of the guidance that should be changed.
NIST published the guidance – NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-66, Revision 1, An Introductory Resource Guide for Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule – in October 2008. During the past 13 years, cybersecurity has evolved and the threat landscape has changed considerably. NIST’s cybersecurity resources have also evolved during that time and an update to the guidance is now long overdue.
NIST will be updating the guidance to reference its new cybersecurity resources, will amplify awareness of non-NIST resources relevant to compliance with the HIPAA Security Rule, and will update its implementation guidance for HIPAA-covered entities and business associates.
Specifically, NIST has requested comments from stakeholders on their experiences applying and using the resource guide, including the parts of the guidance that have been helpful and those that have not, with the reasons why.
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NIST wants to hear from covered entities and business associates that have used the guidance and have found key concepts to be missing, and for stakeholders who found the guidance not to be applicable to their organization to provide information on how it can be made more useful, relatable, and actionable to a wider range of audiences.
Covered entities and business associates have complied with the HIPAA Security Rule in a range of different ways. NIST is seeking information on any tools, resources, and techniques that have been adopted that have proven useful, and for covered entities that have enjoyed successes with their compliance programs to share information on how they manage compliance and security simultaneously, assess risks to ePHI, determine whether the security measures implemented are effective at safeguarding ePHI, and how they document demonstrating adequate implementation. NIST also wants to hear from any covered entity or business associate that has implemented recognized security practices that have diverged from compliance with the HIPAA Security Rule.
Stakeholders are invited to submit comment through June 15, 2021, for consideration ahead of the proposed update. Submitted comments will be considered and implemented as far as is practicable.
