HHS amended HIPAA guidance to allow hospitals, pharmacies, laboratories and health plans to contact people who have recovered from COVID-19 and provide information about donating convalescent plasma to help treat patients with the coronavirus.
The Office for Civil Rights previously amended the rules for healthcare providers in June, and it updated their guidance to include health plans in the amendment on Aug. 24. Healthcare providers and health plans cannot receive payment in exchange for providing that information to individuals.
On Aug. 23, the FDA issued emergency use authorization for investigational convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19 in some hospitalized patients.
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