Health Information Privacy Reform Act
Latest action (30 Jul 2026): Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
What this bill does
S. 3097, the Health Information Privacy Reform Act, would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, working with the Federal Trade Commission, to write regulations creating privacy, security, and breach-notification standards for "applicable health information" handled by entities and service providers not already covered by HIPAA. These rules must offer protections at least equivalent to, and harmonized where possible with, existing HIPAA privacy and security protections, and must be issued within 18 months of enactment. The regulations would set permitted and prohibited uses of health data, require written individual authorization before such information can be sold, licensed, transferred, or used for marketing, and bar using consumer "reasonable expectations" exceptions to justify investigating or penalizing people for seeking or providing health care.
The bill primarily affects businesses and service providers that collect or process health-related information outside the traditional HIPAA framework—such as health apps, wellness technologies, and similar data handlers—along with the individuals whose health data they process.
The bill was introduced by Sen. Bill Cassidy in November 2025 and referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. In July 2026 the committee ordered it reported favorably with an amendment in the nature of a substitute, which replaced much of the original bill's text (including provisions on record-access fees, substance-use record confidentiality, a National Academies study, and de-identification standards) with revised language; the available text of the substitute is incomplete. The bill next awaits further Senate action.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
The committees assigned to this bill sent it to the House or Senate as a whole for consideration on July 30, 2026.
Timeline
30 Jul 2026
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Common questions
- What does S. 3097 do?
- S. 3097, the Health Information Privacy Reform Act, would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, working with the Federal Trade Commission, to write regulations creating privacy, security, and breach-notification standards for "applicable health information" handled by entities and service providers not already covered by HIPAA. These rules must offer protections at least equivalent to, and harmonized where possible with, existing HIPAA privacy and security protections, and must be issued within 18 months of enactment. The regulations would set permitted and prohibited uses of health data, require written individual authorization before such information can be sold, licensed, transferred, or used for marketing, and bar using consumer "reasonable expectations" exceptions to justify investigating or penalizing people for seeking or providing health care. The bill primarily affects businesses and service providers that collect or process health-related information outside the traditional HIPAA framework—such as health apps, wellness technologies, and similar data handlers—along with the individuals whose health data they process. The bill was introduced by Sen. Bill Cassidy in November 2025 and referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. In July 2026 the committee ordered it reported favorably with an amendment in the nature of a substitute, which replaced much of the original bill's text (including provisions on record-access fees, substance-use record confidentiality, a National Academies study, and de-identification standards) with revised language; the available text of the substitute is incomplete. The bill next awaits further Senate action.
- Has S. 3097 become law?
- Not yet. As of 30 Jul 2026, S. 3097 is ordered reported.
- Who sponsored S. 3097?
- S. 3097 was sponsored by Sen. Bill Cassidy [R-LA] (Republican-LA), with 1 cosponsor.
- What's the latest action on S. 3097?
- Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. (30 Jul 2026).
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