[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 250 (Thursday, December 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 82381]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-33039]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Office for Civil Rights; Statement of Delegation of Authority

    Notice is hereby given that I have delegated to the Director, 
Office for Civil Rights (OCR), with authority to redelegate, the 
following authorities vested in the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services:
    1. The authority under section 262 of the Health Insurance 
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), Public Law 104-191, 
as amended, to the extent that these actions pertain to the Standards 
for the Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information, to:
    A. impose civil monetary penalties, under section 1176 of the 
Social Security Act, for a covered entity's failure to comply with 
certain requirements and standards;
    B. make exception determinations, under section 1178(a)(2)(A) of 
the Social Security Act, concerning when provisions of State laws that 
are contrary to the federal standards are not preempted by the federal 
provisions; and
    2. The authority under section 264 of HIPAA, as amended, to 
administer the regulations, ``Standards for the Privacy of Individually 
Identifiable Health Information,'' 45 CFR Part 164, and General 
Administrative Requirements, 45 CFR Part 160, as these requirements 
pertain to Part 164, and to make decisions regarding the 
interpretation, implementation and enforcement of these Standards and 
General Administrative Requirements.
    I hereby affirm and ratify any actions taken by the Director of 
OCR, or any subordinates, involving the exercise of the authorities 
delegated herein prior to the effective date of this delegation. This 
Delegation of Authority is effective concurrent with the effective date 
of the regulations, 45 CFR Parts 160 through 164.

    Dated: December 20, 2000.
Donna E. Shalala,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-33039 Filed 12-27-00; 8:45 am]
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