Recent ransomware cyberattacks are a wakeup call to the healthcare industry. The significant street value of stolen protected health information (PHI) makes the electronic healthcare industry a perfect target. If…
Facts about 5 HIPAA Compliance Myths
HIPAA Myth #1 “I don’t bill Medicare, so I don’t need to follow HIPAA Rules” All covered entities must abide by HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. Covered entities include healthcare…
Healthcare Cybersecurity
With healthcare information breaches on the rise, it’s more important than ever to protect your organization. Review our infographic and make sure you are taking the best steps to prevent…
A Costly Lesson in Untimely Reporting of a HIPAA Breach
Presence St. Joseph Medical Center, a hospital of Presence Health Network, a large healthcare system serving Illinois, waited more than three months before it notified the Department of Health and…
Webinar Q&A: Business Associate Agreements
First Healthcare Compliance hosted an educational webinar, “Business Associate Agreements: What You Need to Know” with Jennifer Gimler Brady, Esq. of Potter, Anderson, Corroon, LLP. Click here to view the…
Don’t Be Unprepared for a Breach by a Business Associate
Covered entities should be very concerned about the possibility of a major breach of protected health information (PHI) originating from a Business Associate (BA). According to the Health and Human…
HIPAA Breach: To Be Or Not To Be?
Under HIPAA, a breach is any impermissible use or disclosure of protected health information (PHI) that does not fit into one of the following exceptions (45 C.F.R. §164.402): Unintentional access,…
How to Prevent HIPAA Violations
What can we learn from the Office for Civil Rights’ (OCR) recent announcements regarding two of the largest settlements ever reported for HIPAA violations? The settlements total $3.9 million and $1.5 million respectively…
HIPAA Privacy Rule Changes Address Gun Control
On January 4, 2016, the Obama administration rolled out a number of executive actions addressing gun control, one of which impacts the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). To…
Individual’s Rights to Access PHI
An individual’s right to access their protected health information (PHI) should be nothing new to covered entities. In 1996, HIPAA Privacy Rule detailed an individual’s right to access PHI. As…