The Compliancy Group's HIPAA Blog

Is Healthcare Blocks HIPAA Compliant?

Healthcare Blocks offers healthcare systems and digital health startups managed cloud hosting and DevOps services. As Healthcare Blocks manages protected health information on behalf of their covered entity clients, they are considered a business associate under HIPAA. Since business associates are required to adhere to HIPAA standards, it is important to determine whether or not the platform is HIPAA compliant. The question of, is Healthcare Blocks HIPAA [...]

Monica McCormack2020-10-09T09:29:08-04:00October 9th, 2020|

And the Right of Access Fines Keep Coming…

OCR announced the eighth right of access fine issued this year. St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center was fined $160,000 for failing to comply with the HIPAA right of access. More details on the right of access fine are discussed below. St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center Right of Access Fine On April 25, 2018 the Department of Health and Human Services’(HHS) [...]

Monica McCormack2020-10-08T08:59:57-04:00October 8th, 2020|

9 Million Patients Affected by September Healthcare Breaches

The Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) publicly posts reported breaches affecting 500 or more patients. In September, there were 77 healthcare breaches posted to the OCR breach portal. These large-scale breaches affected 9,057,414 patients. More details on September healthcare breaches are discussed below. September Healthcare Breaches: 9 Million Patients Affected by Hacking Incidents The majority of September healthcare breaches [...]

Monica McCormack2020-10-07T09:42:34-04:00October 7th, 2020|

What are Telehealth Laws By State?

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, states have implemented regulatory changes related to telehealth. Telehealth and telemedicine laws by state are discussed below. Telehealth Laws by State: Medicaid Populations The federal Medicaid program has affected telehealth laws by state. Medicaid gives states broad authority to permit coverage for telehealth services. Before the COVID-19 emergency, many states had already implemented broad telehealth coverage. Since March of 2020, all fifty states, [...]

Monica McCormack2020-10-06T16:22:58-04:00October 6th, 2020|

Does HIPAA Prohibit the Sharing of President Trump’s Health Information?

In light of President Trump's positive COVID diagnosis, a lot of people are wondering if it is permitted to share his health information with the public. Generally under HIPAA, healthcare organizations are prohibited from sharing a patient's health information without authorization from the patient. However, as the President of the United States, Trump’s health condition is a matter of national security, so do the general rules [...]

Monica McCormack2020-10-06T16:18:22-04:00October 5th, 2020|

Is Hushmail HIPAA Compliant?

Hushmail is a popular email platform used by healthcare providers. But is Hushmail HIPAA compliant? The answer is discussed below Is Hushmail HIPAA Compliant: Security Features For a software to be considered HIPAA compliant, there are certain security features that must be in place. These features must ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of protected health information (PHI). Hushmail for Healthcare offers [...]

Monica McCormack2020-10-02T10:24:36-04:00October 2nd, 2020|

September OCR Fines Reach $10.7 Million

The OCR seems to be on a fines spree, with a record number of fines issued in September. There were eight September OCR fines issued, amounting to $10,736,500. More details on September OCR fines are discussed below. September OCR Fines: Violating HIPAA Right of Access The HIPAA Right of Access gives patients the right to request copies of their medical records from their healthcare provider. Requested records must [...]

Monica McCormack2020-10-02T14:23:59-04:00October 1st, 2020|

Is Google Hangouts HIPAA Compliant?

As several healthcare organizations use G Suite products to operate their businesses, it is important to determine which G Suite products are HIPAA compliant. One commonly used G Suite product is Google Hangouts. But is Google Hangouts HIPAA compliant? Is Google Hangouts HIPAA Compliant: Security Features When determining whether or not software is HIPAA compliant, you must consider the security features offered [...]

Monica McCormack2020-09-30T09:42:36-04:00September 30th, 2020|

Universal Health Services Ransomware Attack Largest in History

NBC News has reported that Universal Health Services, a major U.S. hospital chain, experienced what seems to be a ransomware attack. Details of the Universal Health Services ransomware attack are discussed below. Universal Health Services Ransomware Attack: What Happened? Universal Health Services, which operates more than 400 locations, was the victim or a ransomware attack that targeted their computer systems. Two nurses [...]

Monica McCormack2020-09-29T09:27:07-04:00September 29th, 2020|

Does My Staff Need HIPAA Training?

Does my staff need HIPAA training, is a common question asked by organizations. Does your organization handle, or have the potential to view, protected health information (PHI)? If so, your staff needs HIPAA training. More details on what types of organizations are required to conduct HIPAA training, and what should be included in HIPAA training, are discussed below. Does My Staff Need [...]

Monica McCormack2020-09-28T11:20:23-04:00September 28th, 2020|