Groundhog Day 2023 means two years of following a corrective action plan and a $1.25 million settlement for Banner Health Affiliated Covered Entities (Banner Health) following the announcement of a Resolution Agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The settlement and resolution agreement follow an investigation of a 2016 hacking incident that exposed the [...]
Springfield, Massachusetts, is home to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame - a mere 90-minute ride to Boston. Springfield is also, less famously, the headquarters of New England Dermatology, P.C., d/b/a New England Dermatology and Laser Center (“NEDLC”). This HIPAA covered entity provides treatment for skin, hair, and nail diseases, including acne, eczema, psoriasis, and rashes. In late August of 2022, [...]
On September 10, 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced the issuance of another right of access fine. The OCR HIPAA investigation led to the twentieth right of access fine issued since the 2019 right of access enforcement initiative was announced. Children's Hospital & Medical Center OCR HIPAA Investigation In May 2020, the OCR received [...]
The United States Department of Labor (DOL), the federal agency that enforces OSHA law, has issued new OSHA enforcement guidance. The guidance is intended to be time-limited to the current COVID-19 public health crisis. Under the new guidance, OSHA has prioritized elimination and control of workplace exposure to SARS-Co-V-2, the cause of COVID-19. More about OSHA COVID-19 enforcement is discussed below. Updated OSHA COVID-19 Enforcement Strategy [...]
In late March of 2021, the Department of Health and Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) settled with New Jersey-based Village Plastic Surgery (VPS) for a potential violation of the HIPAA right of access rule. The $30,000 settlement requires VPS to undergo a two-year corrective plan (CAP). The details of the settlement are discussed below. Village Plastic Surgery HIPAA Right of Access Rule Violation [...]
The Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights recently announced its seventeenth settlement of an enforcement action under its HIPAA Right of Access Initiative. The Arbour, Inc., doing business as Arbour Hospital (Arbour), has agreed to pay $65,000 to settle a potential right of access standard violation. Arbor has also agreed to submit to a one-year corrective action plan (CAP). More details on the [...]
In February of 2021, Sharp HealthCare, doing business as Sharp-Rees Stealy Medical Centers (SRMC), paid $70,000 to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to settle a potential violation of the HIPAA Privacy Rule right of access standard. The Sharp settlement has become OCR’s sixteenth settlement under OCR’s right of access initiative. Under this initiative that began in 2019, OCR continues to [...]
Not-for-profit Nevada health system Renown Health, P.C., has agreed to pay $75,000 to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to settle a potential violation of the HIPAA Privacy Rule right of access provision. The settlement is a product of HHS’ Right of Access Initiative. Under this initiative, OCR established cracking down on providers who fail to grant timely patient access to [...]
Since the release of the COVID-19 vaccine, healthcare organizations have scrambled to provide patients with timely vaccination. With the difficulties in scheduling vaccines, some providers have turned to non-traditional appointment scheduling platforms, such as Eventbrite. In an effort to ease vaccine initiatives, the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced that, as of December 11, 2020, it will exercise enforcement discretion for [...]
In 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights issued a record 19 fines for failure to comply with the HIPAA regulations. Two of the fines issued were hybrids - based on violations of the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules in equal measure. These HIPAA fines are discussed below. Aetna and Violations of the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules [...]
© 2023 Compliancy Group LLC. All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
