Which modification does the Omnibus Rule NOT address?

The Omnibus Rule primarily focuses on modifying certain aspects of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to strengthen the privacy and security of health information. Among its provisions are changes to the tiered civil penalty structure, stronger enforcement of patient rights, and prohibitions on the use of genetic information for underwriting, all aimed at enhancing protections for individuals’ health information.

Specifically, the Security Rule, which sets standards for the protection of electronic health information, was not significantly modified by the Omnibus Rule. Instead, the revisions were more geared toward improving compliance and enforcement related to the Privacy Rule and the expansion of rules governing business associates. Thus, the changes directed at the Security Rule are not part of the modifications addressed in the Omnibus Rule. This delineation of focus helps clarify the specific areas of HIPAA that the Omnibus Rule intended to strengthen or clarify without altering the foundational Security Rule standards.