Rachel V. Rose, JD, MBA, principal with Rachel V. Rose – Attorney at Law, P.L.L.C., Houston, TX presents on this key topic. The July 2020 monetary payment of over $1 million dollars by a health system to HHS-OCR serves as a reminder to covered entities and business associates alike that HIPAA violations can be costly. The focus of this presentation is on business associates and subcontracts and the potential threats that can exploit vulnerabilities and trigger costly reporting to government agencies, as well as private lawsuits. Risk mitigation strategies will also be discussed, as well as some key items that should not be overlooked during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objectives:

1. Legal obligations of business associates and subcontractors.
2. Areas of liability, which can extend throughout the “link of trust” between covered entities, business associates and subcontractors.
3. Utilizing compliance with the Privacy Rule, Security Rule, and NIST Standards to mitigate risk – even during COVID.