Financial organizations that are business associates can expect a wave of HIPAA desk audits to evaluate the HIPAA compliance efforts of business associates. These audits have a limited focus and are conducted by the U.S....more
Covered entities and business associates can expect increased scrutiny for breaches of unsecured protected health information affecting fewer than 500 individuals. Starting August 2016, the U.S. Department of Health and Human...more
Athletes at the Rio Olympics aren’t the only ones setting records this year. Hoping to send a “strong message” about the importance of safeguarding electronic protected health information (PHI) and conducting mandated risk...more
It’s a HIPAA first. A business associate has settled a direct enforcement action over allegations that it potentially violated the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This settlement portends future...more
8/3/2016
/ Business Associates ,
Covered Entities ,
Data Breach ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Institutions ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
OCR ,
PHI ,
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Settlement Agreements
For the first time, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has entered into a Resolution Agreement with a business associate over allegations that it potentially violated the Health...more
Protecting patient information is a central duty for both covered entities and business associates under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Should a HIPAA-subject entity ever fail to protect...more
As we previously reported, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) launched Phase II of its audit program on March 21. Since that time, a significant amount of new information has emerged, including details regarding the...more
For only the second time in its history, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has imposed a civil money penalty (CMP) on a covered entity for allegedly violating the HIPAA...more
Much like a tornado watch, the conditions appear to be right for a coming storm: the upcoming Phase 2 HIPAA audits. The Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has begun verifying contact...more
In the wake of the recent Ebola cases, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued a new bulletin reminding HIPAA-covered entities and their business associates that the...more
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued two reports to Congress, as required by the HITECH Act. The compliance report details OCR’s enforcement activities for 2011 and 2012 and...more
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is considering significant changes to the “Part 2” regulations (the Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse...more
The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently presented information about the new look of its Phase 2 audit program. The new audits will look little like the old ones, with OCR conducting the audits itself and focusing on...more
The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently presented information about the new look of its Phase 2 audit program. The new audits will look little like the old ones, with OCR conducting the audits itself and focusing on...more
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) recently issued new guidance clarifying how the HIPAA Privacy Rule strikes the balance of protecting individuals’ privacy of mental health information and communicating...more
HIPAA compliance ended with a bang in 2013, with the feds issuing the first settlement involving a health provider’s failure to have breach notification policies and procedures in place. On Dec. 24, 2013, the Department of...more
Under long-awaited final rules recently published by the federal government, hospitals and other “protected donors” may continue to “donate” interoperable electronic health record items and services without incurring...more
Last week the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) announced that it has postponed the Sept. 23, 2013, HIPAA Omnibus Rule deadline for many clinical laboratories to revise their notices of privacy practices...more
HIPAA covered entities have through Friday, March 1, 2013, to report small breaches of unsecured protected health information that occurred in calendar year 2012 to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). A...more
On Jan. 17, 2013, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the long-awaited “Omnibus Rule,” which amends the administrative simplification provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability...more
1/24/2013
/ Business Associates ,
Covered Entities ,
Data Breach ,
Data Protection ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Enforcement ,
GINA ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
HIPAA Omnibus Rule ,
HITECH Act ,
Marketing ,
PHI ,
Privacy Policy