In 2016 alone, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) levied over $25 million in fines. Enforcement has more than doubled since 2015’s $10 million in fines. If this trend continues, 2017 is poised to be the most costly year for HIPAA enforcement since the regulation first took effect in 1996.
To keep ahead of 2017 HIPAA fines, it’s essential for healthcare professionals to take control of their HIPAA compliance. Below, Compliancy Group has put together a free HIPAA compliance checklist for you to use in your practice or organization in 2017.
Download Your HIPAA Compliance Checklist Here!
These HIPAA fines have been largely uncharacteristic in their scope. Organizations across the healthcare industry have been affected, including research institutes, university medical centers, IT firms, and the first settlement with a HIPAA business associate in the history of enforcement.
In addition to the heightened enforcement we’ve seen out of HHS, OCR’s Phase 2 HIPAA Compliance Audits have also been widely executed against covered entities (CEs) and business associates (BAs). Random audits began in April of 2016 and are slated to continue as per OCR’s most recent guidance.
Compliancy Group is here to ensure that small- and mid-size healthcare players have the tools they need to become confident in their HIPAA compliance. This free HIPAA compliance checklist will guide you through some of the most often overlooked elements of HIPAA compliance, and help prepare your practice from the potential for breaches and fines.
