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At $1.2M, HIPAA photocopy breach proves costly   HITECH notification rule leads to settlement after CBS News story   The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has settled with Affinity Health Plan, a New York-based managed care plan, for HIPAA violations to the tune of $1,215,780 after a photocopier containing patient information was compromised.   Affinity filed a breach report with the HHS Office for Civil Rights on April...

The changes to the Omnibus Rules that are going into effect on Sept 23 2013 require that all medical practices must update their Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) by Sept 23 2013.   According to our friends at the American Medical Billing Association (AMBA) there are 5 significant changes that need attention:   1) You must update information on your use and disclosure of PHI that requires authorization:   a. Most...

It is not uncommon for providers to use electronic devices such as cell phones and tablets to conduct their day to day functions within a healthcare facility or practice. Covered entities must ensure that The Health Care Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and Security rules are put in place when using mobile devices. At the same time, HIPAA does not provide any requirements...

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) Omnibus Rule, enacted in March, includes expanded obligations of physicians and other health care providers to protect patients’ protected health information (PHI). Obligations have been extended from covered entities to other individuals and companies who, as Business Associates (BA), have access to PHI. Increase in the penalties for violations under any of these obligations will be applied under...

Private practice doctors have until Sept. 23, 2013 to implement all the latest HIPAA policies and procedures under the Omnibus rules. These policies and procedures are required in order to comply with all the changes that have been made to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).   The department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) released the final omnibus rules...

Covered entities (healthcare providers) have until Sept. 23, 2013 to implement all the policies and procedures under the Omnibus rules. These policies and procedures are required in order to comply with all the changes that have been made to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).   The OCR department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the final omnibus rules in January of 2013 and...