The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has announced another settlement for alleged violations of HIPAA. OCR investigated BayCare Health System, which serves central Florida, after a...more
A single incident that may have started as a personal vendetta or an extortion threat seven years ago has cost a Florida health care system $800,000, and comes on the heels of an unrelated breach suffered by a different...more
On November 1, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) announced a $90,000 settlement with Bryan County Ambulance Authority (“BCAA”), a provider of emergency medical...more
On February 14, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued two reports to Congress as required by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health...more
Report on Patient Privacy 23, no. 11 (November, 2023) Tim DiBona clearly remembers Christmas Eve 2018 when the staff of his small firm—Doctors’ Management Service (DMS)—arrived at their West Bridgewater, Mass., office to...more
A recent settlement entered into by the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan serves as a stark warning to all entities and business associates subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act:...more
On February 2, 2023, the US Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) reached a settlement with Banner Health Affiliated Covered Entities (“Banner Health”) for a 2016 data breach that...more
Report on Patient Privacy 22, no. 9 (September, 2022) - When recommending best practices, federal privacy and security officials stress that organizations need to follow their protected health information (PHI) wherever...more
On August 23, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced that Massachusetts-based New England Dermatology, P.C., d/b/a New England Dermatology and Laser Center (NEDLC), agreed to...more
The city of New Haven, Connecticut recently agreed to pay $202,400 to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to settle multiple HIPAA violations in connection with a 2016 incident at...more
Report on Patient Privacy 20, no. 10 (October 2020) - September was quite the month for enforcement actions by the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The agency announced eight settlements totaling more than $10 million....more
Health care providers and contractors continue to be a popular target for hackers. Recently, CHSPSC LLC (CHSPSC), which provides various services to hospitals and clinics indirectly owned by Community Health Systems, Inc. of...more
On September 21, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a $1.5 million agreement with Athens Orthopedic Clinic PA to settle “longstanding, systemic noncompliance” with the...more
Report on Patient Privacy 20, no. 8 (August 2020) - Last month, leaders from Agape Health Services in rural Washington, North Carolina, were happy to share photos of the shell of a building in neighboring Plymouth, that,...more