HIPAA Violations

The mega data breaches to hit large insurers and healthcare providers have been making the headlines in recent months; however the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) showed yesterday that even smaller healthcare providers must abide by HIPAA Rules or face the consequences. Yesterday, the OCR issued a statement on…

According to a Monday WCCO-TV news report, a nurse employed by Minnesota Blue Cross Blue Shield stands accused of illegally accessing a state database containing the prescription drug records of approximately 1 million state residents. The database – administered by the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy – contains names, addresses and prescription records and was set…

The Medical College of Wisconsin has issued a statement announcing a data breach that has affected approximately 400 of its patients. WDJT Milwaukee, an affiliate of CBS, was contacted on Feb 28, 2015 by a spokesperson for the Medical College of Wisconsin detailing a data breach which exposed some confidential information of its patients. The…

TYLER, TEXAS – A former employee of an East Texas hospital has been sentenced to federal prison for criminal HIPAA violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales. Joshua Hippler, 30, formerly of Longview, Texas, pleaded guilty on Aug. 28, 2014, to wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information and…

California prosecutors have reached a $9.87 million settlement with the grocery store chain Safeway for improperly disposing of pharmacy records and hazardous waste in dumpsters. The patient records contained private and confidential medical information and should have been destroyed or rendered unreadable according to California’s Confidentiality of Medical Information Act and the Health Insurance Portability…