Health Data De-identification Report Act
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (9 Dec 2020): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
What this bill does
The Health Data De-identification Report Act would require the Office for Civil Rights within the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a study. This study would examine the effectiveness and validity of current methods used to make health information not individually identifiable under federal privacy rules. The office would also cooperate with the National Institute of Standards and Technology on this study.
The study and a subsequent report would compare two methods for de-identifying health data: the "safe harbor" method and the "expert determination" method. The report would detail instances where de-identified data was re-identified, the frequency and scale of use for each de-identification method, their costs, and the utility of the resulting data. It would also assess which method makes data less likely to be re-identified, whether either method hinders efforts to address health care disparities, and the risks of re-identification when de-identified data is accessible to entities with additional information. The study would also consider the ease of using the expert determination method, including cost and expert qualifications.
This bill was introduced in the Senate in December 2020 and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. No further action has been taken since its introduction. If enacted, the Department of Health and Human Services would have 270 days after the bill becomes law to submit its report to Congress.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Health Data De-identification Report Act
This bill requires the Office for Civil Rights within the Department of Health and Human Services to study the validity and effectiveness of current methods used to determine if health information is not individually identifiable for purposes of federal privacy rules that apply to health data.
Timeline
9 Dec 2020
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Common questions
- What does S. 4990 do?
- The Health Data De-identification Report Act would require the Office for Civil Rights within the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a study. This study would examine the effectiveness and validity of current methods used to make health information not individually identifiable under federal privacy rules. The office would also cooperate with the National Institute of Standards and Technology on this study. The study and a subsequent report would compare two methods for de-identifying health data: the "safe harbor" method and the "expert determination" method. The report would detail instances where de-identified data was re-identified, the frequency and scale of use for each de-identification method, their costs, and the utility of the resulting data. It would also assess which method makes data less likely to be re-identified, whether either method hinders efforts to address health care disparities, and the risks of re-identification when de-identified data is accessible to entities with additional information. The study would also consider the ease of using the expert determination method, including cost and expert qualifications. This bill was introduced in the Senate in December 2020 and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. No further action has been taken since its introduction. If enacted, the Department of Health and Human Services would have 270 days after the bill becomes law to submit its report to Congress.
- Has S. 4990 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for S. 4990. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored S. 4990?
- S. 4990 was sponsored by Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA] (R-LA), with 0 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 4990?
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (9 Dec 2020).
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