Melissa Soliz

Practice Areas

Melissa “Mel” Soliz leads Coppersmith Brockelman’s data interoperability and technology practice. She is a nationally recognized health data, privacy, and interoperability lawyer who helps health care organizations, health information networks and exchanges, technology companies, data platforms, and analytics firms design, operationalize, and defend complex data-sharing models.

Mel regularly advises on HIPAA, 42 U.S.C. § 290dd-2 and 42 C.F.R. Part 2, the 21st Century Cures Act, the ONC Information Blocking Rule, CMS interoperability mandates, ONC certification requirements, TEFCA, Carequality, CommonWell, DURSA, AI governance, health technology contracting, state health privacy laws, consumer health data laws, and data access disputes.

Her clients rely on her for practical, high-stakes guidance on data strategy and governance, health information network and exchange participation, behavioral health and community information exchange, consent and sensitive-data segmentation, information blocking compliance, interoperability investigations, network audits, data breaches, regulatory inquiries, clinical research compliance, technology vendor contracting, AI development and implementation, and health information access disputes.

Career

Mel is a partner at Coppersmith Brockelman PLC in Phoenix, Arizona. Her work focuses on complex legal and operational issues in modern health care: how regulated organizations share, protect, access, use, and govern health information across evolving technology ecosystems.

Mel regularly advises clients navigating federal and state privacy laws, national interoperability initiatives, health information exchange frameworks, AI implementation, and data access disputes. She is known for translating dense regulatory and technical requirements into practical strategies clients can implement in real-world operating environments.

In addition to client work, Mel is active in state and national policy and industry initiatives shaping health data exchange. She serves as President of the Arizona Society of Healthcare Attorneys and Co-Chair of The Sequoia Project Privacy & Consent Workgroup. She is also a member of the Carequality Advisory Council and the ASU SHARES Advisory Board.

Mel is recognized by Chambers USA, Chambers Global, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and BTI Client Service All-Stars.

Professional Memberships

Member, Carequality Advisory Council (2026 – present)

SHARES Advisory Board (2023 – present)

President, Arizona Society of Healthcare Attorneys (2021 – present)

Member, Board of Directors, Arizona Society of Healthcare Attorneys (2018 – present)

Member, Arizona Society of Healthcare Attorneys (2015 – present)

Member, Sequoia Project Interoperability Matters, Privacy and Consent Workgroup (January 2024 – present)

• Co-Chair (May 2025 – present)

Member, Sequoia Project Interoperability Matters, Information Blocking Workgroup (May 2020 – present)

• Co-Chair, IBR Toolkit Task Group (January 2023 – December 2024)

• Good Practices Task Group (January 2022 – December 2023)

• HIE Subgroup (January 2021 – December 2022)

Community Member, Human Subjects Review Board, Arizona Department of Health Services (2019 – May 2026)

Member, AHLA (2015 – present)

Student Advisor, HIM Topics, Central Arizona College (June 2020 – present)

Member, Board of Directors, Rosie’s House (July 2020 – September 2024)

Member, Advisory Committee, ASU School of Nursing Health Care Compliance and Regulations Baccalaureate Degree Program (2018 – 2024)

Member, MDC Advisory Board: My Data Choices (2019 – 2022) (research into consent management tools)

President, Greenfield Park Homeowners Association (2016 – 2023)

Former Board Secretary and Member, Gabriel’s Angels Board of Young Professionals (2013 – 2016)

Publications

Co-Author, “How the CARES Act Final Rule is Changing 42 CFR Part 2 Compliance,” Arizona Society of Healthcare Attorneys (AzSHA) Blog (April 23, 2025)

Co-Author, “Moving Toward Computable Consent: A Landscape Review” (January 2025)

Co-Author, "Information Sharing Toolkit," Sequoia Project (January 2025)

Co-Author, “Pediatric Consent on FHIR,” SHARES Research Article (May 2024)

Co-Author, “The Eagle Has Landed: How the CARES Act Final Rule is Changing 42 CFR Part 2 Compliance for Health Care Providers, Health Plans and HIN/HIEs,” Coppersmith Briefs (April 15, 2024)

Co-Author, “The Missing Puzzle Piece: Using Health Data to Close the Social Determinants of Health Gap,” AHLA Journal of Health and Life Sciences Law (January 2024)

Co-Author, “IBR Enforcement is Here: What the Proposed HHS Disincentives Rule Means for Health Care Providers and the Final OIG CMP Rule Means for Health IT Developers and HIN/HIEs,” Coppersmith Briefs (December 5, 2023)

Co-Author, “Phoenix Business Journal 2023 40 Under 40: Melissa Soliz,” Phoenix Business Journal (August 3, 2023)

Author, “Small Changes, Big Impact: ONC’s Proposed Changes to Advance Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability,” AHLA Health Information and Technology Brief (June 2, 2023)

Author, “Making Improvements?: ONC’s Proposed Enhancements to the Information Blocking Rule (HTI-1),” Coppersmith Briefs (May 1, 2023)

Author, “Expanded CMS Interoperability and Prior Authorization Requirements: What Payers, Providers and their Technology Vendors Need to Know,” Coppersmith Briefs (February 7, 2023)

Co-Author, “What’s the Big Deal?: Data Privacy Issues Involving “Big Data” and Genomics Deals,” AHLA AMC and Physicians/Hospitals Institute Conference (January 30-31, 2023)

Co-Author, “TEFCA: How It Works in Tandem With Your HIE,” Contexture (January 26, 2023)

Co-Author, “Has the Eagle Landed?: HHS’ Proposed Changes to 42 CFR Part 2 to Align Substance Use Disorder Privacy Protections with HIPAA,” Coppersmith Briefs (December 28, 2022)

Co-Author, “TEFCA: Has the Future for Nationwide Data Exchange Arrived?,” AHLA Health Information and Technology Practice Group Briefing (May 6, 2022)

Co-Author, “Perceptions and Concerns of SUD Treatment Organizations Regarding the CARES Act’s Alterations to Patient Confidentiality Regulations,” AHIMA Journal: Perspectives in HIM (vol. 19, issue 2, May 2022)

Author, “What You Need Know about TEFCA: The Common Agreement,” Coppersmith Briefs (February 2, 2022)

Author, “If You Build It, They Will Come: Implementing the CMS Patient Access API and Payer-to-Payer Exchange Requirements,” AHLA Journal of Health and Life Sciences Law (December 2021)

Co-Author (with Helen Oscislawski), “Legal Corner: At the Click of a Button,” Arizona Physician (November 15, 2021)

Co-Author, “Ready? Set. Go! IBR Compliance Is Here,” AHLA (April 30, 2021)

Co-Author, “Mother, MUST I?: Compliance with the Information Blocking Regulations Presentation White Paper,” AHLAVirtual Physicians and Hospitals Law Institute (February 10-12, 2021)

Co-Author, “Proposed Changes to the HIPAA Privacy Rule: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – An Operational Perspective,” Coppersmith Briefs (January 25, 2021)

Co-Author, Coppersmith Brockelman Information Blocking Toolkit for Health Care Providers (December 2020)

Author, “CMS Proposed Expansion of Interoperability Requirements for Impacted Payers,” Coppersmith Briefs (December 14, 2020)

Co-Author, “Just in Time Delay: ONC Extends Information Blocking Compliance Deadline to April 5, 2021,” Coppersmith Briefs (October 29, 2020)

Author, “Regulatory Changes to Substance Use Disorder Privacy Law,” Coppersmith Briefs (Jul. 17, 2020)

Author, “OIG Penalties for Information Blocking,” Coppersmith Briefs (Apr. 27, 2020)

Co-Author, “COVID-19 TCPA Emergency Exception for Robocalls and Texts from Health Care Providers and Government Officials,” Coppersmith Briefs (Apr. 16, 2020)

Co-Author, “OCR Waives HIPAA BAA Requirements to Participate in Public Health and Health Oversight Activities,” Coppersmith Briefs (Apr. 2, 2020)

Co-Author, “Communicating with First Responders about Patient COVID-19 Status,” Coppersmith Briefs (Mar. 31, 2020)

Co-Author, “Communicating with Health Care Employees about Patient COVID-19 Status,” Coppersmith Briefs (Mar. 30, 2020)

Co-Author, “The CARES Act: Sweeping Changes to Substance Use Disorder Privacy Law (42 USC 290dd-2),” Coppersmith Briefs (Mar. 30, 2020)

Co-Author, “Data Sharing in Genomics and Big Data Deals,” AHLA AMC and Teaching Hospitals Institute Conference (January 30-31, 2020)

Co-Author, “Arizona Chapter, AHLA Corporate Practice of Medicine” (January 2020)

Author, “Don’t Let Privacy Protections Be The Enemy Of Good: How privacy laws are stymieing efforts to most effectively treat substance use disorders and combat the opioid epidemic,” Journal of Health Care Compliance (Nov. 2019)

Co-Author, “Arizona – Response to Opioid Crisis and Opioid Prescribing Requirements,” AHLA State Response to Opioid Crisis: A 50 State Survey (Nov. 2019)

Co-Author, “Data Sharing Through the National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network,” PCORnet (2019)

Co-Author, “Sentinel System: Data Sharing for Public Health Activities and Data Use Agreements,” Sentinel (forthcoming)

Author, “Courtesy Notification re: Proposed Changes to 42 CFR Part 2,” Coppersmith Brockelman PLC (Aug. 23, 2019)

Author, “Courtesy Notification re: TEFCA Draft 2,” Coppersmith Brockelman PLC (May 21, 2019)

Author, “Courtesy Notification re: ONC/CMS Proposed Interoperability Regulations,” Coppersmith Brockelman PLC (Apr. 24, 2019)

Co-Author, “ONC/CMS Extends Comment Period for Proposed Rules on Interoperability and Information Blocking,” AHLA (May 20, 2019)

Co-Author, “Arizona Opioid Compliance Toolkit for Outpatient Clinics,” Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association (July 2018)

Co-Author, “Arizona Opioid Compliance Toolkit for Hospitals and Outpatient Surgery Centers,” Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association (July 2018)

Co-Author, “Data Sharing for Clinical Integration and other ‘Big Data’ Initiatives,” AHLA Fundamentals of Health Law, 7th ed. (Apr. 2018)

Co-Author, “Sentinel Initiative Principles and Policies: HIPAA and Common Rule Compliance,” Sentinel (February 1, 2018)

Co-Author, “Privacy Compliance in Clinical Research,” Bloomberg Law (Oct. 2017)

Co-Author, “White Paper: Part 2 Challenges for HIOs,” presented at SHIEC Annual Conference (2017)

Co-Author, “Unto the Breach, Dear Friends: HIPAA Breach Reporting and OCR Enforcement Actions,” Bloomberg BNA Health Care Program Compliance Guide

Co-Author, “Data Sharing for Clinical Integration and other ‘Big Data’ Initiatives,” AHLA Legal Issues Affecting AMCs and Teaching Institutions (Mar. 2017)

Co-Author, “Office for Civil Rights Investigations, Enforcement Actions and Settlements,” AHLA Legal Issues Affecting AMCs and Teaching Institutions (Mar. 2017)

Author, “Fixing Fixation: The RAM Copy Doctrine,” 43 Ariz. St. L.J. 181 (2011)

Personal

I focus on practical excellence: helping clients execute on business goals within the applicable legal, technical, and operational frameworks.

Awards