U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has introduced new legislation aimed at strengthening privacy protections for Americans’ health data. The proposed Health Information Privacy Reform Act seeks to address gaps in current regulations by expanding privacy requirements to cover emerging technologies such as smartwatches and health apps.
“Smartwatches and health apps change the way people manage their health. They’re helpful tools, but present new privacy concerns that didn’t exist when it was just a patient and a doctor in an exam room,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Let’s make sure that Americans’ data is secured and only collected and used with their consent.”
Current federal law under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) covers traditional provider-patient interactions but does not extend to many consumer health products that operate outside clinical settings. Cassidy’s bill would require these technologies to disclose how they collect and share consumer information. It also considers ways for consumers to share their health data for research purposes while having opportunities for compensation.
The full text of the bill is available online.
For more updates from HELP Republicans, information can be found on their website or Twitter account @GOPHELP.
