HHS Delegates Authority for the HIPAA Security Rule to Office for Civil Rights

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will take over from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) authority for the administration and enforcement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). The switch is to eliminate duplication and increase efficiency in how health information privacy is protected.