The Biden administration finalized a rule this week that prevents medical records from being used in criminal investigations regarding women who leave their states to get an abortion.
The rule, which was issued through the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), bolsters existing regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) privacy rule.
“In states with strict abortion rules, the federal regulation would essentially prohibit state or local officials from gathering medical records related to reproductive health care for a civil, criminal or administrative investigation from providers or health insurers in a state where abortion remains legal,” the Associated Press reported.
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra told reporters on Monday that the regulation has limitations
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