HIPAA Compliance Blog

Let’s face it, breaches will happen, especially those related to information systems. When it comes to breaches, most network security experts say it is “when” and not “if.”

A Q&A session about the importance of patient privacy, in the context of substance abuse and mental health.

Enforcement of HIPAA mandates by the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) are more aggressive than ever before, “totaling $28.7 million from enforcement actions” in 2018, an increase of 22% from the last record total of $23.5 million in 2016.

The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced on December 4, 2018, that Advanced Care Hospitalists PL (ACH), operating in West Central Florida, agreed to a settlement of $500,000 and to adopt a substantial Corrective Action Plan (CAP) regarding potential HIPAA violations arising out of security breaches caused by hiring a billing contractor without implementing a Business Associate Agreement (BAA).

According to OCR Director Roger Severino, “it’s common sense that former employees should immediately lose access to protected patient information upon their separation from employment.”