CDPH’s data privacy enforcement activity continues, this time affecting 6 hospitals and a nursing home with total penalties approaching $800,000.
Continue Reading California Department of Public Health Continues to Fine Hospitals and Nursing Homes for Data Breaches
HHS Posts On Its Website Covered Entities Reporting HIPAA Data Breaches
By Joseph J. Lazzarotti on
Posted in HIPAA
On February 22, 2010, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) posted on its website its first list of covered entities that have reported breaches of unsecured protected health information affecting more than 500 individuals. OCR acknowledged the HITECH Act requires HHS to make this information public by posting it on an HHS website.
The breach notification rule became effective on…
Electronic Health Records: The Work to Build a Health Information Technology Infrastructure Begins
By Jason C. Gavejian on
Posted in Health Information Technology, HIPAA
In a key step toward developing a proposed U.S. health information technology (HIT) infrastructure, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced that Iowa’s Medicaid program is the first to receive federal matching funds for planning activities necessary to implement the electronic health record (EHR) incentive program established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment …
HIPAA Enforcement Regulations Updated for Penalty Increases and Enhancements under the HITECH Act
By Joseph J. Lazzarotti on
Posted in HIPAA
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published interim final regulations on October 30, 2009, to update existing enforcement regulations under HIPAA for statutory revisions made by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. These regulations become effective November 30, 2009, and only address the provisions of the HITECH Act…
Reporting a Breach of HIPAA Protected Health Information to HHS
By Joseph J. Lazzarotti on
Posted in HIPAA
Little more than one month after the HIPAA breach notification regulations became effective (September 23, 2009), covered entities (health care providers, health plans) and their business associates are struggling with the effects of these new rules. Many are asking:
- What is a breach?
- Do we have to notify in all cases, what are the exceptions?
…