The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is proposing new rules that will give patients more control over their health records, especially with regard to the sale of health information to marketers. 

The new regulations will be published in the Federal Register on July 14.

The rules expand the provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and would strengthen patients’ rights over access to information and regulate the disclosure of certain types of information to health plans.

These new regulations would also apply to business associates of entities that are currently under HIPAA.

The rule change is part of the effort to broaden the use of electronic health records, a key element of the health care reform legislation.

Further efforts to protect patient privacy are being led by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and the HHS Office for Civil Rights. 

"To improve the health of individuals and communities, health information must be available to those making critical decisions, including individuals and their caregivers," HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in announcing the proposed rule.  

"While health information technology will help America move its healthcare system forward, the privacy and security of personal health data is at the core of all our work."