Privacy Expert McGraw to Join HHS Office for Civil Rights

Health IT privacy policy expert Deven McGraw is joining the Health & Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) as the deputy director for health information privacy. 

OCR said McGraw would spearhead its policy, enforcement, and outreach efforts on the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules; as well as lead OCR’s work on Presidential and Departmental priorities on health privacy and security. 

Since 2009, McGraw has been a member of the federal Health IT Policy Committee, for which she chaired the Privacy and Security Workgroup. 

Most recently, she was a partner at law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP, where she co-chaired the firm’s privacy and data security practice. She also previously served as the director of the Health Privacy Project at the Center for Democracy & Technology and as the chief operating officer at the National Partnership for Women & Families.

OCR is led by Director Jocelyn Samuels, who heads up its work to enforce federal laws that help to ensure non-discrimination and equity in federally funded health and human services.  She also spearheads enforcement of federal laws that protect the privacy and security of medical information and the rights of individuals to their health records. OCR is preparing a round of HIPAA audits for covered entities in 2015.