Proskauer on Privacy
Photo of Ryan P. Blaney

Ryan P. Blaney

Partner

Ryan Blaney represents health care, life science, and technology clients in a range of regulatory, enforcement, internal investigative and transactional matters, with particular expertise in privacy law, life sciences and digital health. He also has expertise in regulatory compliance, counseling clients on a range of matters, including health care fraud and abuse, third party reimbursement, data breach issues, data privacy and security, and FDA regulatory matters. He has substantial experience in pharmaceutical lifecycle management and competition issues, including the Hatch- Waxman Act and Biosimilars Price Competition and Innovations Act.

Ryan serves information technology companies, public and private health care companies, hospitals and physician organizations, manufacturers, medical device companies, and health plans. He guides venture capital groups, private equity funds, investment banks, and other investors on health care regulatory issues in connection with financing, mergers and acquisitions, and restructuring.

Ryan’s work is greatly informed by his experience as a teacher. Prior to attending law school, Ryan earned a master’s degree in education and taught at an under-resourced Catholic middle school. He is known for his ability to communicate clearly and to coordinate large teams working on complex matters. Outside of his health law practice, Ryan has been repeatedly recognized for his public service and pro bono work. He has successfully handled numerous education-related cases, helped establish three nonprofit organizations and defended qualified recipients of disability benefits.

Subscribe to all posts by Ryan P. Blaney

One More Year: Attorney General Issues Final Regulations as CA Legislature Delays Some Compliance Obligations

Qualifying businesses have another year to complying with certain, major provisions of the CCPA. The CCPA, or the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, is a California law that gives California consumers, defined broadly to encompass all California residents, certain rights with respect to their personal information. Namely, it gives consumers the right to know … Continue Reading

One Cross-Border Mechanism Invalid, Another Upheld: Thoughts after the CJEU’s Schrems II Decision

On July 16, 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) invalidated Decision 2016/1250 on the adequacy of the protection provided by the EU-US Privacy Shield, ruling, among other things, that U.S. domestic law governing law enforcement access to transferred data does not satisfy the GDPR’s requirements because, as the Court stated, U.S. … Continue Reading

HHS to Exercise Enforcement Discretion to Permit HIPAA Business Associates to Use and Disclose PHI to Public Health Authorities during the COVID-19 Health Crisis

On April 2, 2020, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S Department of Health and Human Services released a notification related to the discretion that OCR will exercise concerning HIPAA enforcement during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Effective immediately, OCR will not impose penalties for violations of certain provisions of the HIPAA Privacy … Continue Reading

FTC Ramps up COVID-19 Activity After Improving its Data Security Enforcement Orders

With the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), cybersecurity criminals and scammers are ramping up their efforts to target vulnerable employers and workforces. The FTC announced today that since January they have received more than 7,800 fraud complaints from consumers related to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the FTC isn’t slowing down either. Even with the … Continue Reading

Privacy Considerations for Employers and Health Care Providers When Communicating about Coronavirus-Infected Individuals

This alert focuses on the ongoing and developing privacy issues that have arisen for employers and healthcare providers communicating about the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19).  Specifically, we will discuss the steps that employers and healthcare companies need to consider when communicating to its employees, the media and general public, and government officials when an individual … Continue Reading

California Governor Signs All Pending CCPA-Related Bills Into Law

On October 11, 2019, the California Governor, Gavin Newsom, signed into law five CCPA-amending bills and an additional CCPA-related bill that were awaiting his signature. The CCPA, or the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, gives California consumers certain rights to learn about and control how a business within the CCPA’s scope handles the personal … Continue Reading

The “Meat on the Bones”: Attorney General Xavier Becerra Releases CCPA Implementing Regulations

On October 10, 2019, the California Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, announced at a press conference that his office has released proposed implementing regulations for the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”). The text of the proposed regulations is available here. As background, the CCPA is a California privacy law that seeks to give California consumers the … Continue Reading

A $1.2 Million Photocopier Mistake: Health Plan Settles with HHS in HIPAA Breach Case

We have heard the well-publicized stories of stolen laptops and resulting violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), and we generally recognize the inherent security risks and potential for breach of unsecured electronic protected health information posed by computer hard drives. We remember to “wipe” the personal data off of … Continue Reading

HHS Empowers Consumers to Know (and Enforce) their Rights Under HIPAA

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) published on its website a series of factsheets designed to educate consumers unfamiliar with their rights under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act’s (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules.  These four factsheets are described in detail below. I.            OCR Consumer Factsheet: … Continue Reading

HIPAA/HITECH Final Rule: Significant Changes to Existing Regulations

Recently announced changes to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rule represent one of the most significant developments in health care privacy law in the past 10 years. Known as the final omnibus rule, the changes were announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on January 17, … Continue Reading

HHS Announces New Patient Privacy and Security Protections

On January 17, 2013, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the final omnibus rule that among other things (1) increases patient privacy protections; (2) provides individuals with new rights to receive a copy of their electronic medical record in an electronic form;  and (3) provides individuals with the right to … Continue Reading

Keep An Eye On Those Shiny, New Mobile Devices!

As physicians, nurses, therapists and health care providers continue to utilize new smart phones, tablets, and laptops in caring for patients, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) has responded with educational videos, worksheets and guidance to help health care providers  create a “culture of compliance and awareness” and to protect patients’ Protected Health … Continue Reading

OCR Issues Guidance On HIPAA Privacy Rule’s De-Identification Standard

On November 26, 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) published a thirty-two page document titled “Guidance Regarding Methods for De-identification of Protected Health Information in Accordance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule” (“De-Identification Guidance”).  OCR described the guidance document as a culmination of two … Continue Reading

HIPAA Privacy In The Aftermath Of Sandy: Be Prepared For The Next Emergency

As health care providers, patients, family members, friends, and disaster relief agencies such as the American Red Cross continue to grapple with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy it is important to be mindful of privacy regulations and to prepare in advance for the next emergency. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act  of 1996 (“HIPAA” … Continue Reading
LexBlog

This website uses third party cookies, over which we have no control. To deactivate the use of third party advertising cookies, you should alter the settings in your browser.

OK