Privacy

Health data privacy and the potential for HIPAA modernization is back on the table with a new proposed bill that would set up a commission to address key challenges. But the complexity of consumer data challenges will continue to be an uphill battle.

The 1.6 million patients impacted by a data breach and mailing error reported by Inmediata Health in 2019 have reached a $1.13 million settlement to be applied to out-of-pocket expenses.

A newly proposed bipartisan bill would establish a commission to assess the state of health data privacy laws and challenges to securing healthcare information that falls outside of HIPAA.

The IRS becomes the latest government agency to see their plans for widespread use of facial recognition crash and burn in the face of scrutiny from digital rights experts and members of Congress. The controversies highlight the tricky balance agencies face as they try to improve services through emerging technologies and crack down on rampant fraud and identity theft, all without compromising privacy and civil liberties.

In a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., raises questions about the security and privacy controls around a soon-to-be mandatory process requiring taxpayers to submit "seflies" to a third-party company to gain access to their IRS.gov accounts.