HHS Releases Bulletin Clarifying HIPAA Privacy Rule in Emergency Situations – In light of the recent Ebola outbreak, HHS released a bulletin on November 10, 2014 “to ensure that HIPAA covered entities and their business associates are aware of the ways in which patient information may be shared under the HIPAA Privacy Rule in an emergency situation, and to serve as a reminder that the protections of the Privacy Rule are not set aside during an emergency.” The bulletin describes situations in which covered entities and business associates may disclose protected health information in an emergency, while also emphasizing that “[i]n an emergency situation, covered entities must continue to implement reasonable safeguards to protect patient information against intentional or unintentional impermissible uses and disclosures.” A copy of HHS’s bulletin is available by clicking here.