---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 1320d–7"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "1320d–7"
heading: "Effect on State law"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/1320d-7"
units:
  - "Chapter 7 — Social Security"
  - "Subchapter XI — General Provisions, Peer Review, and Administrative Simplification"
  - "Part C — Administrative Simplification"
---

# §1320d–7. Effect on State law

- (a) **General effect—**
  - (1) **General rule—** Except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#a-2), a provision or requirement under this part, or a [standard](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=7) or implementation specification adopted or established under sections [1320d–1](/usc/42/1320d–1.md) through [1320d–3](/usc/42/1320d–3.md) of this title, shall supersede any contrary provision of [State](/usc/42/619.md?p=5) law, [including](/usc/42/1301.md?p=b) a provision of [State](/usc/42/619.md?p=5) law that requires medical or [health plan](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=5) records ([including](/usc/42/1301.md?p=b) billing information) to be maintained or transmitted in written rather than electronic form.
  - (2) **Exceptions—** A provision or requirement under this part, or a [standard](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=7) or implementation specification adopted or established under sections [1320d–1](/usc/42/1320d–1.md) through [1320d–3](/usc/42/1320d–3.md) of this title, shall not supersede a contrary provision of [State](/usc/42/619.md?p=5) law, if the provision of [State](/usc/42/619.md?p=5) law—
    - (A) is a provision the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) determines—
      - (i) is necessary—
        - (I) to prevent fraud and [abuse](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=1);
        - (II) to ensure appropriate [State](/usc/42/619.md?p=5) regulation of insurance and [health plans](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=5);
        - (III) for [State](/usc/42/619.md?p=5) reporting on health care delivery or costs; or
        - (IV) for other purposes; or
      - (ii) addresses [controlled substances](/usc/42/11851.md?p=2); or
    - (B) subject to [section 264(c)(2)](/usc/42/264.md) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, relates to the privacy of [individually identifiable health information](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=6).
- (b) **Public health—** Nothing in this part shall be construed to invalidate or limit the authority, power, or procedures established under any law providing for the reporting of disease or injury, [child](/usc/42/1382c.md?p=c) [abuse](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=1), birth, or death, public health surveillance, or public health investigation or [intervention](/usc/42/1397n–12.md?p=2).
- (c) **State regulatory reporting—** Nothing in this part shall limit the ability of a [State](/usc/42/619.md?p=5) to require a [health plan](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=5) to report, or to provide access to, information for management audits, financial audits, program monitoring and evaluation, [facility](/usc/42/1320a–3.md?p=c-5-B) licensure or certification, or individual licensure or certification.

## Source credit

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XI, § 1178, as added Pub. L. 104–191, title II, § 262(a), Aug. 21, 1996, 110 Stat. 2029.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 264(c)(2) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(B), is section 264(c)(2) of Pub. L. 104–191, which is set out as a note under section 1320d–2 of this title.