Updated HHS SRA Tool Issued
In 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the federal agency for enforcing HIPAA, issued a Security Risk Assessment (SRA) tool through its Office for Civil Rights [...]
Texas Health and Human Services Commission Fined $1.6 Million by OCR
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (TX HHSC) is a Texas government state agency. Its charge is to improve the health, safety and well-being of [...]
$3 Million HIPAA Settlement Reached for Lack of Device Encryption
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a press release on November 5, 2019 discussing a $3 million HIPAA settlement reached with the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC). [...]
What is the National Patient Identifier Repeal Act?
When HIPAA was enacted in 1996, the law called for development of a unique patient identifier (sometimes referred to as a “national patient identifier”). In 1999, [...]
Steps to Creating an Effective HIPAA Compliant Contingency Plan
Under the HIPAA Security Rule administrative safeguards requirement, covered entities and business associates must develop HIPAA compliant contingency plans. The two major objectives of a HIPAA [...]
Proposed Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Law Reforms
In October of 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced proposed changes to modernize and clarify the regulations that interpret the Physician Self-Referral [...]
Beazley Breach Insights Report Notes Increased OCR Enforcement Activity
An August, 2019 report from the Beazley Group, a well-known Lloyd’s of London Risk Underwriter Participant, should put to rest the belief that Office for Civil [...]
$10K HIPAA Fine Issued to Dental Practice for Disclosing PHI on Yelp
Elite Dental Associates was issued a $10,000 HIPAA fine for disclosing the protected health information (PHI) of one of its’ patients while responding to a review on Yelp. The [...]
Hundreds of Patient Files Found in NY Trash Causing HIPAA Violation
NBC New York I-Team found multiple boxes containing patient records in the trash outside of an Upper East side office building. The patient files were found [...]
New Business Associate HIPAA Guidelines Released by OCR
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) released new HIPAA guidelines for business associate requirements in May 2019. These guidelines [...]
