Waiver or Modification of Requirements under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act as the Result of the Consequences of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
What: HHS Secretary Alex M. Azar declared a public health emergency, effective March 15, 2019, at 6:00 p.m. due to the nationwide COVID-19 outbreak.
Where: Nationwide.
Why: President Donald J. Trump's declaration that the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States constitutes a national emergency.
Actions/Follow-Up:
What: HHS Secretary Alex M. Azar declared a public health emergency, effective March 15, 2019, at 6:00 p.m. due to the nationwide COVID-19 outbreak.
Where: Nationwide.
Why: President Donald J. Trump's declaration that the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States constitutes a national emergency.
Actions/Follow-Up:
- View the Waiver or Modification of Requirements under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act as the result of the consequences of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus at: https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/section1135/Pages/covid19-13March20.aspx.
- For more information regarding HIPAA and COVID-19, view the HHS Office for Civil Rights' (OCR) March 16, 2020, Bulletin on the HIPAA Waiver here: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hipaa-and-covid-19-limited-hipaa-waiver-bulletin-508.pdf.
- For information about how the HIPAA Privacy Rule applies in an emergency, visit the OCR'S HIPAA Emergency Preparedness, Planning, and Response page or you may use the HIPAA Disclosures for Emergency Preparedness Decision Tool.
- For more information on COVID-19, please visit: https://www.coronavirus.gov.
DISCLAIMER: These guidance documents are not a final agency action, do not legally bind persons or entities outside the Federal government, and may be rescinded or modified in the Department's discretion. Noncompliance with any voluntary standards (e.g., recommended practices) contained in these documents will not, in itself, result in any enforcement action.
