Mel Soliz Discusses Latest Developments in Interoperability Litigation on AHLA Podcast

Partner Mel Soliz recently joined the American Health Law Association’s Speaking of Health Law podcast for an episode examining the latest developments in interoperability litigation and what emerging disputes may mean for the health care industry. In this episode, Mel spoke with Brendan Keeler, Interoperability Practice Lead at HTD Health, and Amy Bagge-Smith, General Counsel and Head of Regulatory Affairs at Arcadia, about cases currently shaping interoperability law, including how courts and industry stakeholders are responding to disputes involving health data access, privacy, national exchange frameworks, and CMS’ Aligned Networks initiative. The discussion builds on Mel’s work advising health care organizations, networks/exchanges, technology companies, and data platforms on privacy, interoperability, governance, contracting, and litigation risk across the evolving health data exchange ecosystem. Mel and her team lead a...

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Mel Soliz Presents on Information Blocking Enforcement for The Sequoia Project

Partner Mel Soliz recently participated in The Sequoia Project’s webinar, “Information Blocking in the Age of Enforcement,” hosted through its Interoperability Matters Information Sharing Workgroup. The webinar focused on the evolving information blocking enforcement landscape, including industry readiness, federal enforcement resources, state-level information sharing developments, and emerging litigation trends. Mel presented on recent litigation involving information blocking concepts, including disputes over access restrictions, competition and market-power issues, network trust and downstream use of health data, and the technical functionality of health data integrations. Mel’s presentation highlighted how information blocking is moving beyond regulatory compliance and into business disputes, state enforcement actions, and anti-competition claims. She also discussed the practical importance of documenting decisions to restrict, condition, or suspend access based on privacy, security, technical, contractual, patient-safety, or...

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Mel Soliz Presents a Health Care Training Webinar on the Information Blocking Rule (IBR) for Health Care Providers

Health care providers are prohibited from engaging in information blocking under the new federal Information Blocking Rule (IBR). Coppersmith Brockelman’s Partner Mel Soliz explains IBR requirements for health care providers in her educational webinar for Health Care Training. Mel covered the IBR’s background, enforcement structure and important deadlines; highlighted practices that implicate the prohibition on information blocking; IBR exceptions with a special focus on preventing harm, privacy, security, and content and manner; and best practices for IBR compliance. Mel regularly speaks in local and national forums on these topics and has been active in state and federal policy making on these issues. She is the President of the Arizona Society of Healthcare Attorneys and is recognized by Best Lawyers© and Southwest Super Lawyers: Rising Stars© for her...

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Mel Soliz Shares Insights on Data Access and Interoperability at Industry Events

A sought-after thought leader for nationwide events and webinars on health data access and interoperability, Mel Soliz recently spoke about information blocking, TEFCA and the 2021 Cures Act, while also taking time to help health law and clinical informatic students understand the career opportunities in the health data field. Mel’s most recent speaking engagements include: American Health Law Association (AHLA) Webinar Mel presented “To Boldly Go: Meeting Interoperability Requirements Under the 21st Century Cures Act” with her co-speakers before a virtual audience of more than 200 registrants. She covered the real life complexities faces by health care providers and payers in complying with the Information Blocking Rule and CMS interoperability mandates, as well as recent developments in health data interoperability policies, including the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common...

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Coppersmith Brockelman Launches its Information Blocking Toolkit for Health Care Providers

As health care providers are hit with more and more regulatory changes, legal, compliance and privacy personnel are struggling to keep up. Coppersmith Brockelman PLC offers some relief! Coppersmith Brockelman just released its Information Blocking Rule Toolkit for Health Care Providers (“Toolkit”). The Toolkit provides practical guidance, regulatory crosswalks, template documents and educational materials to help providers get started on an information blocking compliance program to meet the April 5, 2021 deadline. The Toolkit includes: “Information Blocking FAQs: What health care providers need to know about information blocking compliance”A “Checklist for Health Care Providers: How to Create and Implement an Information Blocking Rule Compliance Action Plan”A template “No Information Blocking Policy”A guidance document for “Updating HIPAA Policies and Procedures for Information Blocking Rule Compliance,” which includes a checklist...

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ASU College of Health Solutions Lauds Mel Soliz’s Contributions to MDC Advisory Board

Mel Soliz Speaks at Health Current Summit about New Interoperability Rules

The deadlines to comply with new ONC and CMS interoperability, patient access, and information blocking rules are coming. Speaking at the Health Current Virtual Summit, Mel Soliz helped attendees understand the new rules and best practices to implement compliance. Health Current is Arizona’s primary resource for healthcare information technology and exchange, bringing together communities and information across Arizona. The organization helps more than 3,000 Arizona providers use information technology to improve people’s lives. Active in state and federal policymaking on data privacy and health information exchange, Mel frequently shares insights on these topics for local and national forums as well as industry publications. Additionally, she serves as a board member for the Arizona Society of Healthcare Attorneys.  Learn more about the Health Current Virtual Summit here. ...

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