[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 4, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5351-5352]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2280]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics: Meeting

    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Department of 
Health and Human Services announces the following advisory committee 
meeting.

    Name: National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS), 
Subcommittee on Privacy and Confidentiality.
    Time and Date: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. February 18, 2004. 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. 
February 19, 2004.
    Place: Humphrey Building, Room 705A, 200 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC.
    Status: Open.
    Background: The National Committee on Vital and Health 
Statistics is the statutory public advisory body to the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services in the areas of health data, statistics, 
and health information policy. Established by section 306(k) of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 242k(k)), its mandate includes 
advising the Secretary on the implementation of the Administrative 
Simplification provisions (Social Security Act, title XI, part C, 42 
U.S.C. section 1320d to 1320d-8) of the Health Insurance Portability 
and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), Pub. L. 104-191.
    The NCVHS Subcommittee on Privacy and Confidentiality monitors 
developments in health information privacy and confidentiality on 
behalf of the full Committee and makes recommendations to the full 
Committee so that it can advise the Secretary on implementation of 
the health information privacy provisions of HIPAA.
    Purpose: This meeting of the Subcommittee on Privacy and 
Confidentiality will receive information on the implementation of 
the regulation ``Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable 
Health Information'' (45 CFR parts 160 and 164), promulgated under 
the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
    The regulation and further information about it can be found on 
the Web site of the Office for Civil Rights, at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/. The regulation has been in effect since April 14, 2001. 
Most entities covered by the regulation were required to come into 
compliance by April 14, 2003.
    The first day of the meeting will be conducted as a hearing, in 
which the Subcommittee will gather information about the impact of 
the regulation on banking and on law enforcement. The Subcommittee 
will invite representatives of affected groups to provide 
information about how the regulation has affected the level of 
privacy and confidentiality for protected health information, best 
practices for implementation of the regulation, and information that 
might help to identify and resolve barriers to compliance. The 
format will include one or more invited panels and time for 
questions and discussion. The Subcommittee will ask the invited 
witnesses for examples of the effect the regulation has had on 
individuals and on entities subject to the regulation. The first day 
will also include a time period during which members of the public 
may deliver brief (3 minutes of less) oral public comment about the 
implementation of the regulation. To be included on the agenda, 
please contact Marietta Squire, (301) 458-4524, by e-mail at 
[email protected] or postal address at 3311 Toledo Road, Room 2340, 
Hyattsville, MD 20782 by February 12, 2004.

[[Page 5352]]

    The second day of the meeting will be conducted in two parts. 
The first part will be a hearing in which the Subcommittee will 
gather information about the effects of the regulation on schools. 
The Subcommittee will invite representatives of affected groups to 
provide information about how the regulation has affected the level 
of privacy and confidentiality for protected health information, 
best practices for implementation of the regulation, and information 
that might help to identify and resolve barriers to compliance. The 
second part will consist of Subcommittee discussion of the testimony 
it has heard and deliberations about possible recommendations to the 
Secretary.
    Persons wishing to submit written testimony only (which should 
not exceed five double-spaced typewritten pages) should endeavor to 
submit it by that date. Unfilled slots for oral testimony will also 
be filled on the days of the meeting as time permits. Please consult 
Ms. Squire for further information about these arrangements.
    Additional information about the hearing will be provide on the 
NCVHS Web site at http://www.ncvhs.hhs.gov shortly before the 
hearing date.
    Contact person for more information: Information about the 
content of the hearing and matters to be considered may be obtained 
from Kathleen H. Fyffe, Lead Staff Person for the NCVHS Subcommittee 
on Privacy and Confidentiality, Office of the Assistant Secretary 
for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services, 440D Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20201, telephone (202) 690-7152, e-mail 
[email protected] or from Marjorie S. Greenberg, Executive 
Secretary, NCVHS, NCHS, CDC, Room 2413, Presidential Building IV, 
3311 Toledo Road, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782, telephone (301) 458-
4245.
    Information about the committee, including summaries of past 
meetings and a roster of committee members, is available on the 
Committee's Web site at http://www.ncvhs.hhs.gov.

    Dated: January 28, 2004.
James Scanlon,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science and Data Policy, OASPE.
[FR Doc. 04-2280 Filed 2-3-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4151-04-M