Para crear la “Ley para Promover y Establecer el Intercambio de Información de Salud de Puerto Rico”; derogar la Ley Núm. 40-2012, según enmendada, conocida como “Ley para la Administración e Intercambio Electrónico de Información de Salud de Puerto Rico”; reconoceral Puerto Rico Health Information Exchange (PRHIE), adscrito al Programa Medicaid del Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico, como la entidad designada por el Estado para cumplir con los requerimientos establecidos por la Oficina del Coordinador Nacional de Tecnología de la Información en Salud (ASTP, por sus siglas en inglés), el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos (HHS, por sus siglas en inglés), y los Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid (CMS, por sus siglas en inglés); autorizar la creación y operación de un Consejo Asesor del PRHIE, con el fin de brindar asesoramiento y orientación estratégica al Programa Medicaid en asuntos relacionados con el intercambio de información de salud; y para otros fines relacionados.

2025-2028 Session

Puerto Rico replaces its health information exchange law to formally designate PRHIE as the state entity managing electronic health data sharing and establishes an advisory council for strategic guidance.

Devuelto a la Comisión(es)

Legislative bill overview

Bill PC 588 would replace Puerto Rico's 2012 health information exchange law with a new statute that formally designates the Puerto Rico Health Information Exchange (PRHIE) as the state-designated entity for managing electronic health data sharing. The bill would also establish an advisory council to guide PRHIE operations and ensure compliance with federal requirements from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, HHS, and CMS.

Why is this important

Health information exchange systems are critical infrastructure that allow hospitals, clinics, and providers to share patient data electronically, improving care coordination and reducing duplicate testing. Puerto Rico's modernization of its legal framework could enhance interoperability with federal programs and improve healthcare delivery efficiency across the island's health system, particularly for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

Potential points of contention

Governance and autonomy concerns: Designating PRHIE under the Medicaid program may raise questions about operational independence and whether all stakeholders (private providers, hospitals) have adequate representation on the advisory council

Federal compliance burden: New requirements to align with federal standards could impose administrative costs on healthcare providers and require significant technological infrastructure investments

Data privacy and security: Electronic health information exchange raises concerns about patient privacy protections, data breach liability, and how sensitive health information will be safeguarded across the system