Blog - Tag archives for HIPAA compliance

$750,000 Settlement Highlights the Need for HIPAA Business Associate Agreements

Posted on Health Care Law News May 22, 2016 by Robert Nicholson

The HHS Office of Civil Rights (OCR) recently announced that Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic, P.A. of North Carolina has agreed to pay $750,000 to settle charges that it potentially violated the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule by handing over protected health information (PHI) for approximately 17,300 patients to a potential Read more →

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New Florida Health Laws Prohibit Unexpected Balance Billing and Demand Greater Pricing Transparency

Posted on Health Care Law News May 2, 2016 by Robert Nicholson

Florida recently became the latest state to enact legislation protecting consumers from unexpected medical bills through balance billing.  Unexpected “balance billing” happens when a patient is unaware that they are receiving treatment from a medical provider that is not covered under his or her health insurance plan (i.e., a provider who is “out-of-network”). This may Read more →

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HHS-OCR Launches Phase 2 of HIPAA Audits, Will Include “Business Associates”

Posted on Health Care Law News March 25, 2016 by Robert Nicholson

The United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has officially started the second phase of HIPAA Audits, which will include “Business Associates” for the first time.  When HHS-OCR previously conducted Phase 1 (the “pilot” phase) of its audits, it focused exclusively on “covered entities” such as hospitals, doctors’ offices, and Read more →

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Lincare Hit with $240,000 HIPAA Penalty

Posted on Health Care Law News February 14, 2016 by Robert Nicholson

Lincare, a major provider of in-home respiratory care and other services, will pay $238,900 in civil monetary penalties for violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), federal authorities announced Wednesday.  The civil monetary penalty was challenged, but now has been upheld by an administrate law judge (ALJ). The Breach Incident at Lincare’s Wynne Read more →

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Two Recent Settlements Underscore Critical Importance of HIPAA Compliance

Posted on Health Care Law News December 13, 2015 by author

HHS-OCR recently announced two HIPAA violation settlements with significant financial penalties in the space of a week, and both covered entities and business associates should take notice.  First was the settlement involving Lahey Clinic Hospital, Inc. (Lahey), which agreed to a settlement that stemmed from a 2011 incident where an unencrypted laptop was stolen from Read more →

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