The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is taking comments on a proposed change that would expand the HIPAA Privacy disclosure rule regarding electronic health records. The rule, which amends the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (the HITECH Act), grants plan participants the right to view an access report that identifies who has viewed their electronic health information. The deadline for comments to the HHS is Aug. 1.

While the rule would create a burden for health care plans and business associates, it has an upside, according to Kate Borten of The Marblehead Group in Massachusetts.

“I think it makes good sense to add the new right to an access report,” Borten told HealthLeaders Media. “Many health care organizations already provide this voluntarily, and this report, which includes insider access (use, rather than disclosure), is commonly used to identify snoopers.”