Mel Soliz Earns 2024 Volunteer of the Year Award & Highlights Key Patient Privacy Issues at National Panel

Partner Mel Soliz was recently honored as the 2024 Volunteer of the Year at the Sequoia Project annual meeting, recognizing her exceptional contributions of time and expertise. Mel also joined a national panel to expand upon her efforts and impact on patient privacy and consent. The panel, comprised of Mel and four other health information experts, explored strategies to better align the benefits of health data exchange with a critical need to protect patient privacy. Their discussion addressed the growing tension between the rising value of health data and evolving privacy expectations while emphasizing solutions that align both priorities. Mel’s regulatory practice focuses on compliance with data privacy, access and interoperability laws (such as the Information Blocking Rule and CMS interoperability mandates as well as state mini-interoperability...

Read MoreRead More

Mel Soliz Explains Impact of CARES Act Final Rule Changes at National Health Care Meeting

At the eHealth Exchange Annual Meeting, Partner Mel Soliz discussed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) modified regulations for substance use disorder (SUD) patient records (see 42 CFR Part 2 or Part 2) and their impact of health information exchange. These changes aim to better align the Part 2 regulations with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), with the compliance deadline set for February 16, 2026. eHealth Exchange, the nation’s oldest and largest health care information network, supports data exchange for more than 250 million patients and facilitates around 21 billion transactions annually. Recognized for its governance, transparency, and commitment to privacy, the organization is a leader in advancing interoperability. A nationally recognized attorney in health data privacy and interoperability, Mel works...

Read MoreRead More

Mel Soliz Shares Insights on Evolving Interoperability Regulations at National Health Conference

At the Civitas Networks for Health Annual Conference, Partner Mel Soliz explored recent updates to the interoperability landscape and how they impact health information networks and exchanges (HIN/HIEs). Mel’s regulatory practice focuses on compliance with data privacy, access and interoperability laws (such as the Information Blocking Rule and CMS interoperability mandates as well as state mini-interoperability laws), health IT/technology service contracting, and HIN/HIEs (including national and state interoperability frameworks such as TEFCA, Carequality, CommonWell, DURSA, DxF and SCPA). She regularly speaks in local and national forums on these topics and has been active in state and federal policymaking on data privacy and HIE issues. She is the President of the Arizona Society of Healthcare Attorneys and is regularly lauded by Chambers USA, Best Lawyers, BTI Client...

Read MoreRead More
Headshot of Mel Soliz

Partner Mel Soliz Discusses Innovation in Health Equity and Barriers to its Growth at HIMSS’ Interoperability and HIE Forum

Health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. In her presentation to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), Interoperability and Health Information Exchange Forum, Mel Soliz—Partner and leader of the firm’s interoperability practice—explained how health data interoperability and state and federal interoperability initiatives will advance health equity. Mel regularly speaks in local and national forums on interoperability and health equity. 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 work in health law....

Read MoreRead More

Mel Soliz Educates AzHIMA about Interoperability Data Policies

Keeping abreast of the ever-changing United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) data policy is challenging. That is why the Arizona Health Information Management Association (AzHIMA) asked Mel Soliz to speak about what’s new, what’s coming, and what’s most important about USCDI at its 2021 Fall Meeting. In her presentation, “Evolving Data Policy: What Health Care Providers Need to Know about USCDI v2,” Mel reviewed the guiding principles behind USCDI, how USCDI v2 compares to USCDI v1, what’s on the horizon for the USCDI (including v3 and USCDI+), and how the USCDI interacts with other laws. Mel is frequently consulted for her deep knowledge of federal interoperability requirements. She works closely with community health information exchanges, health care providers, and health plans to understand and create compliance...

Read MoreRead More

Melissa Soliz Updates Arizona Society of Healthcare Attorneys on Changes to Data Rules

Following a consequential year for health privacy and data rules, Mel Soliz updated the Arizona Society of Healthcare Attorneys about the upcoming changes to health data and privacy at a webinar. During the webinar “Got Data? : How the Health Data Rules are Changing,” Mel presented alongside Joanne Charles, principal corporate counsel, privacy and regulatory counsel at Microsoft, and Elliot Golding, a partner at Squire Patton Boggs. Together they covered HIPAA’s COVID-19 guidance, Information Blocking/Interoperability, 42 CFR Part 2, and the interplay between different state laws. Mel is frequently consulted for her deep knowledge of information blocking. She works closely with community health information exchanges, health care providers, and health plans to understand and create compliance programs for the Information Blocking Rule, as well as the CMS...

Read MoreRead More