New OCR Civil Enforcement Authority for Part 2 Compliance: Key Stakeholder Requirements, Investigations, Penalties

Healthcare and privacy attorney Beth Pitman will lead a BARBRI webinar presentation on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Right's (OCR) new civil enforcement program for 42 C.F.R. Part 2 (Part 2) noncompliance related to the 2024 Final Rule for substance use disorder (SUD) patient record confidentiality. OCR timed the Part 2 civil enforcement program with the compliance date for the 2024 Final Rule, aiming to align federal privacy standards for SUD records more closely with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements. The launch marks the first time OCR will exercise civil enforcement authority over certain organizations, similar to HIPAA enforcement over covered entities, and investigations can lead to civil monetary penalties or multiyear corrective action plans. During this program, Ms. Pitman will break down what the healthcare industry needs to know about Part 2 compliance, from what to expect during a civil investigation to OCR's latest guidance and compliance tools, and share helpful best practices to maintain operational continuity amid an uptick in enforcement efforts.