Our Blog
HIPAA Compliant News Articles and Enforcement
OCR Commences Phase 2 of HIPAA Compliance Audit Program
HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Audit Program As a part of our continued efforts to assess compliance with the HIPAA Privacy, Security and Breach Notification Rules, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has begun its next phase of audits of covered entities and their business associates. The 2016 Phase 2 HIPAA Audit Program…
Read More$1.55 Million HIPAA Settlement for Lack of BAA and Risk Analysis Failures
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights has announced it has reached a settlement with North Memorial Health Care of Minnesota over alleged HIPAA violations dating back to a 2011 data breach. North Memorial has agreed to pay $1,550,000 to OCR to settle the HIPAA violation charges. Following a PHI breach…
Read MoreHIPAA Compliance Still A Problem for Small Practices
While large healthcare systems have come to grips with HIPAA Rules and have implemented controls to safeguard ePHI from external and internal threats, small practices are still struggling with their compliance efforts, according to a recent survey conducted by NueMD. NueMD surveyed 900 healthcare professionals last month to gain an insight into how small healthcare organizations…
Read MoreSt. Joseph Health Settles Class Action Data Breach Lawsuit
St. Joseph Health System has settled a class action lawsuit filed by two plaintiffs for the breach of 31,800 patient health records that took place in 2012. A settlement of $15 million will be split between patients and attorneys, with $7.5 million going to patients and $7.5 million covering attorneys’ fees and legal costs. All…
Read MoreFederal Jury Convicts Dallas Anesthesiologist on Health Care Fraud Offenses
DALLAS — Following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor and approximately three hours of deliberation, a federal jury has convicted Dr. Richard Ferdinand Toussaint, Jr., a licensed anesthesiologist, on all counts of a superseding indictment charging seven counts of health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District…
Read MoreOCR Confirms Next Round of HIPAA Compliance Audits Will Be Published in April
Office for Civil Rights deputy director of health information privacy, Deven McGraw, has provided an update on the OCR’s planned HIPAA compliance audits, saying the revised protocol for the long-awaited second round of compliance audits will be published next month. Late last year, OCR Director Jocelyn Samuels announced that the next round of audits would…
Read MoreTwo Dallas-Area Doctors and Four Others Charged for Roles in $13.4 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme
Six individuals, including two Dallas-area doctors, were charged in a superseding indictment that was unsealed today for their alleged participation in a $13.4 million health care fraud scheme involving fraudulent claims for home health services. Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District…
Read MorePHYSICAL THERAPY PROVIDER AGREES TO 25K HIPAA VIOLATION SETTLEMENT
OCR has announced it has arrived at a settlement with a Los Angeles-based provider of physical therapy services after the discovery of HIPAA Privacy Rule violations in 2012. Complete P.T., Pool & Land Physical Therapy, Inc., (CPT) has agreed to pay a fine of $25,000 to the Department of Health and Human Services after the…
Read MoreSurvey Indicates Law Firms Are Not Complying With HIPAA Rules
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) covers healthcare providers, health insurers, and healthcare clearinghouses, and all covered entities are required to comply with HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules. HIPAA also applies to vendors and other companies doing business with covered entities, which are classed as HIPAA Business Associates (BAs). If a…
Read More