HIPAA Laws and Regulations
Advice about HIPAA laws and regulations for healthcare industry professionals
What information can be shared without violating HIPAA?
Hopefully, all those who work in the healthcare industry will be aware of their duties under HIPAA. Primarily, they are required to ensure that the security and integrity of patients’ private data (Protected Health Information, or PHI) are maintained. However, there may be some confusion regarding the disclosure of PHI. The flow of information is obviously essential to ensure that…
Is Telling a Story About a Patient a HIPAA Violation?
Most people who know of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability act of 1996 will know that it protects patient privacy. But how far does the Act extend? Does it prevent workers from sharing stories about their practice? How much can healthcare workers disclose about their day? Is telling a story about a patient a HIPAA violation? We will discuss…
What does HIPAA Protect?
What does HIPAA Protect? What kinds of information are covered by the Act, and why is it important that this data is protected? We will discuss the answers to those questions in this post. HIPAA had many purposes when it was introduced, ranging from tax reform to expanding access to health insurance. However, it is now most well-known for its…
What is a Covered Entity under HIPAA?
Given how well-known the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is, it may be surprising to learn how narrowly defined a “Covered Entity” is. Possession of health data does not automatically make an organization subject to HIPAA law, leading many to ask: what is a covered entity under HIPAA? Which organizations are required to follow the HIPAA Rules? According to…
What happens after a HIPAA complaint is filed?
What happens after a HIPAA complaint is filed? Is there a specific timeline that a patient can expect to be followed? How should complaints be made in the first place? Under HIPAA, all patients have the right to complain to healthcare organizations, health plans, or healthcare clearinghouses (all deemed to be HIPAA “Covered Entities”, CEs) or their Business Associates (BAs)…
How do you avoid HIPAA violations?
How do you avoid HIPAA violations? Should HIPAA Covered Entities and Business Associates resign themselves to the fact that HIPAA violations are hard to avoid and give up trying to avoid them? Of course, the answer to that question is “no”, and during this article we will discuss what can be done to avoid HIPAA violations. HIPAA Training is one…