Bill Aims To Relax Regulations Over Sharing of Health Records for Patients With Substance Use Disorders
A new Senate mental health bill (S 1945) -- called the Mental Health Reform Act of 2015 -- would relax a federal law that regulates the sharing of paper and electronic health records for patients with substance misuse issues. The bill aims to reform the behavioral health care delivery system by integrating physical and mental health services. In addition, the legislation would "streamline" the requirements of 42 Code of Federal Regulations Part 2, a privacy law that covers thousands of federally funded drug and alcohol misuse treatment facilities.
- "Senate Mental Health Bill Would Modify Federal Privacy Law" (Conn, Modern Healthcare, 8/21).