Healthcare Cybersecurity Mitigation Guide Published by CISA
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has published a healthcare cybersecurity [...]
The HIPAA Guide - Celebrating 15 Years Online
Articles by Liam Johnson
St. Joseph’s Medical Center Fined $80,000 For Allowing Reporter to Access Patients’ PHI
St. Joseph’s Medical Center in New York has chosen to settle allegations it violated the HIPAA Privacy Rule [...]
New York Proposes Stricter Cybersecurity Regulations for Hospitals
New York has proposed new cybersecurity regulations for hospitals in a bid to combat increasing numbers of [...]
How to Get HIPAA Certification
How to get HIPAA certification depends on the purpose of the certification and whether the certification is [...]
Data Breach at Transcription Service Provider Affects Almost 9 Million Patients
Perry Johnson & Associates (PJ&A), a provider of transcription services to healthcare providers, [...]
Why was HIPAA Created?
HIPAA was created to reform the health insurance industry; but, because the reforms would incur costs and [...]
Data Security Failures at US Radiology Specialists Result in $450,000 Settlement
A $450,000 settlement has been agreed between New York Attorney General Letitia James and US Radiology [...]
HIPAA Guidelines for Mental Health Professionals
The HIPAA guidelines for mental health professionals are the same as the HIPAA guidelines for other types of [...]
Is Gmail HIPAA Compliant?
Gmail is HIPAA compliant when an organization subscribes to a Google Workspace plan that supports HIPAA [...]
What is FWA in Healthcare?
FWA in healthcare stands for fraud, waste, and abuse – an issue currently estimated to cost the country [...]
7 Questions to Ask HIPAA Compliance Consultants
HIPAA compliance consultants are individuals or firms of compliance professionals with an understanding of [...]
OCR Stresses the Importance of a HIPAA Sanction Policy
The Privacy and Security Rules of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) require [...]
Legal Challenge to OCR’s Guidance on Website Tracking Technologies
The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Director of the HHS’ Office for [...]
Examples of Poor Communication between Nurse and Patient
It is rare to find many real-life examples of poor communication between nurse and patient in the United [...]
OCR Announces First Ever Ransomware-Related HIPAA Settlement
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has announced its first-ever [...]
What are the HIPAA Reporting Requirements?
The HIPAA reporting requirements are often confused with the notification requirements following a breach of [...]
Home Health Company Pays $350,000 to Resolve Alleged HIPAA Violations
Personal Touch Holding Corporation, a Long Island, NY-based home health company, has agreed to a settlement [...]
Is Zapier HIPAA Compliant?
Many sources tackling the question is Zapier HIPAA compliant tend to conclude that Zapier is not HIPAA [...]
How Long Does it Take to Get HIPAA Certified?
How long it takes to get HIPAA certified varies depending on the purpose of the certification, the intensity [...]
OCR Issues Guidance on Educating Patients About Telehealth Risks
The HHS’ Office for Civil Rights has issued guidance for healthcare providers to help them educate patients [...]
Is HubSpot HIPAA Compliant?
HubSpot is not HIPAA compliant. However, covered entities and business associates can use the HubSpot [...]
Is Signal HIPAA Compliant?
Signal is not HIPAA compliant despite being an open-source messaging platform that encrypts all messages, [...]
What is the HIPAA Omnibus Rule?
The HIPAA Omnibus Rule is a Rule published by HHS’ Office for Civil Rights in January 2013 that modified [...]
HIPAA and Social Media – What are the Guidelines?
HIPAA and social media guidelines should be developed to enable the promotion of healthy lifestyles while [...]
Who Needs to be HIPAA Compliant?
The question of who needs to be HIPAA compliant has multiple answers due to the variety of activities within [...]
5 Real HIPAA Violation Consequences
Many sources discussing HIPAA violation consequences tend to focus on civil monetary penalties and criminal [...]
State Attorneys General Agree $1.4 Million Inmediata Settlement to Resolve HIPAA Violations
A coalition of 33 state attorneys general has reached a settlement with the Puerto Rico-based healthcare [...]
When Does State Privacy Law Supersede HIPAA?
There are many examples of when state privacy law supersedes HIPAA. However, some state privacy laws exempt [...]
Is a HIPAA Violation a Felony?
A HIPAA violation felony involves the knowing and wrongful use or disclosure of individually identifiable [...]
Is a Client’s Photo Considered PHI?
When is a client photo PHI? A client’s photo is considered to be PHI under HIPAA in certain circumstances. [...]
How Much is a HIPAA Violation Lawsuit Worth? 3 Cases That Could Shape Future Judgements
How much a HIPAA violation lawsuit is worth depends on the nature of the violation, the harm caused, and the [...]
How Does the HIPAA Privacy Rule Apply to Minors?
There is no straightforward answer to how does the HIPAA Privacy Rule apply to minors because the Privacy [...]
Within HIPAA, How Does Security Differ From Privacy?
Within HIPAA, the security standards apply to Protected Health Information (PHI) that is created, received, [...]
What To Do If Accused of a HIPAA Violation
What you should do if accused of a HIPAA violation depends on who you are, who is accusing you, and the [...]
Blackbaud Settles HIPAA Violations with State AGs for $49.5 Million
The Charleston, SC-based fundraising service provider, Blackbaud, has agreed to a settlement with 49 states [...]
The HIPAA Guidelines for Medical Offices
The HIPAA guidelines for medical offices are no different than for any other healthcare facility that [...]
Is Google Workspace HIPAA Compliant?
Google Workspace is HIPAA compliant if the suite of productivity and communication services is configured [...]
What is a HIPAA Form?
A HIPAA form can be one of several documents. In many cases, a HIPAA form is another name for an [...]
Is Proton Mail HIPAA Compliant?
Like most HIPAA related questions concerning technology, the answer to the question is Proton Mail HIPAA [...]
Who is Covered by HIPAA?
A lack of knowledge about who is covered by HIPAA can lead to misconceptions about when it is permissible to [...]
What Should be Included in a HIPAA Photography Policy?
A HIPAA photography policy should govern the use of cameras and mobile phones in healthcare environments – [...]
Indiana Settles Schneck Medical Center Data Breach Lawsuit for $250,000
The Indiana Attorney General has agreed to a $250,000 settlement with Schneck Medical Center. The settlement [...]
California and Kaiser Agree $49 Million Settlement to Resolve Improper Disposal Lawsuit
The California Attorney General and the district attorneys general from Alameda, San Bernardino, San [...]
Los Angeles Health Plan Fined $1,300,000 by OCR for Alleged HIPAA Violations
The HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has announced a settlement has been reached with the nation’s [...]
Feds Warn of Active Exploitation of Zoho and Fortinet Vulnerabilities
A joint cybersecurity advisory has been issued by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency [...]
OCR and FTC Publish Tracking Technology Warning Letters Sent to Hospitals and Telehealth Providers
In July 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the [...]
What Does it Mean to be HIPAA Compliant?
There are many interpretations of the question what does it mean to be HIPAA compliant, and therefore many [...]
UnitedHealthcare to Pay $80,000 to Settle Potential HIPAA Right of Access Violation
Last week, HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced the settlement of its latest HIPAA right of access [...]
Advocate Aurora Health Proposes $12.25 Million Settlement to Resolve Meta Pixel Lawsuit
Advocate Aurora Health has agreed to settle a consolidated class action lawsuit over its use of Meta Pixel [...]
59% Year-Over-Year Increase in Medical Device Vulnerabilities
There has been a 59% increase in vulnerabilities in medical devices and the software applications on which [...]
Cyber Safety Review Board Shares Insights Gained from Lapsus$ Cyberattacks
The Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) has recently shared details of the tactics, techniques, and procedures [...]
Healthcare Sector Warned About Rhysida Ransomware Group
The healthcare and public health (HPH) sector has been warned about a new ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) [...]
What is Texas HB-300 Compliance?
Texas HB-300 compliance is compliance with Chapter 181 of the Texas Health and Safety Code as amended by [...]
What are the Objectives of the HIPAA Technical Safeguards?
The objectives of the HIPAA Technical Safeguards are to protect electronic PHI and control access to it. [...]
What is SOC 2 Compliance?
SOC 2 compliance is compliance with the Service Organization Control 2 standards for managing and securing [...]
What are HHS OIG Exclusions?
HHS OIG exclusions are individuals and entities that are prohibited from participating in any federal health [...]
Warnings Issued by OCR & FTC Over Tracking Technology Use
Warning letters have been sent by the HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Federal Trade Commission [...]
HCA Healthcare Data Breach Impacts 11 Million Patients
HCA Healthcare, one of the largest health systems in the United States, has suffered a major data breach that [...]
$75,000 Settlement Agreed by iHealth Solutions to Resolve OCR HIPAA Case
The HHS’ Office for Civil Rights has agreed to settle a HIPAA case with the business associate iHealth [...]
Healthcare Employees Targeted in SEO Poisoning Attacks
SEO poisoning (search engine poisoning) is a tactic used by cybercriminals to manipulate search results and [...]
HIPAA Business Associate Examples
Many sources of HIPAA business associate examples tend to repeat the examples of HIPAA business associates [...]
Security Guards Snoop on Medical Records; Hospital Pays a $240,000 Penalty
The HHS’ Office for Civil Rights has announced its second HIPAA enforcement action of the month. Yakima [...]
OCR Fines New Jersey Psychiatry Practice for Google Review Responses
Manasa Health Center in New Jersey has agreed to pay $30,000 to resolve alleged HIPAA violations stemming [...]
Almost 9 Million Individuals Affected by Ransomware Attack on Dental Insurer
Managed Care of North America (MCNA) Dental has reported one of the largest ever breaches of protected health [...]
Is OneDrive HIPAA Compliant?
The answer to the question is OneDrive HIPAA compliant is that it can be. This is because compliance does not [...]
Is Microsoft Teams HIPAA Compliant?
As with most questions concerning HIPAA and technology, there is no definitive answer to the question is [...]
NY AG Slaps Medical Management Company with $550,000 HIPAA Penalty
New York Attorney General, Letitia James, has agreed to settle a compliance investigation with Professional [...]
PharMerica Cyberattack and Data Breach Affects 5.8 Million Patients
PharMerica, one of the largest pharmacy service providers in the United States, has recently confirmed that [...]
EyeMed Settles Multistate Data Brach Investigation for $2.5 Million
The Luxottica Group PIVA-owned vision benefits provider, EyeMed, has agreed to settle potential violations of [...]
MedEvolve Fined $350,000 for Storing PHI on an Unsecured Server
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights has announced a settlement has been [...]
Telemedicine HIPAA requirements
The telemedicine HIPAA requirements affect any medical sector employee or healthcare organization that [...]
OCR Announces 44th Fine Under its HIPAA Right of Access Initiative
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is continuing to crack down [...]
Is WhatsApp HIPAA Compliant?
When WhatsApp announced it was launching end-to-end encryption, healthcare organizations questioned whether [...]
What is HIPAA Compliant Software?
The term HIPAA compliant software is a little misleading inasmuch as no software by itself is HIPAA [...]
Is Google Forms HIPAA Compliant?
Google Forms is a survey administration tool that allows forms to be created for data collection purposes, [...]
New HIPAA Regulations 2023
New HIPAA regulations are published more often than many people realize. Additionally, existing regulations [...]
HIPAA Changes 2023
When discussing recent HIPAA changes, many sources limit the discussion to Part 164 of the HIPAA [...]
HIPAA Privacy Rule Change Proposed to Strengthen Protections for Reproductive Health Care Information
The number of states that have introduced bans or restrictions on abortions has been growing since the [...]
OCR: COVID-19 HIPAA Flexibilities to End on May 11, 2023
The HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has confirmed that the Notifications of Enforcement Discretion it [...]
Virtually All Hospitals Used Website Tracking Code that Transmits Website Visitors’ Data to Third Parties
Tracking code has been used on virtually all hospital websites, according to a new study conducted by [...]
Is Google Meet HIPAA Compliant?
Google Meet is HIPAA compliant for meetings between healthcare professionals and for providing telehealth [...]
Is Google Chat HIPAA Compliant?
Google Chat is a key communication service in the Google Workspace suite of productivity tools. As such, the [...]
Legislation Proposed to Ban Health Information Disclosures for Advertising
Website and application tracking technology has attracted a lot of attention over the past 12 months. The [...]
Is Smartsheet HIPAA Compliant?
Is Smartsheet HIPAA compliant? It can be, but only if you subscribe to an Enterprise Plan, enter into a [...]
HHS to Address HIPAA Complaint and Investigation Backlog with New Enforcement Division
The HHS has announced it has restructured its Office for Civil Rights and has created three new divisions to [...]
Healthcare Organizations Warned About Clop and MedusaLocker Ransomware Gangs
The healthcare and public health (HPH) sector is in the crosshairs of the Clop and MedusaLocker ransomware [...]
OCR: HIPAA Violation Complaints Increased in 2021 as Breaches Fell
The HHS’ Office for Civil Rights has sent annual reports to Congress on reported data breaches and its [...]
HIPAA Update Proposed to Improve Reproductive Health Data Privacy
The Office for Civil Rights has proposed an update to the HIPAA Privacy Rule to improve the privacy of [...]
What are the HIPAA e-Signature Requirements?
At present, there are no HIPAA e-signature requirements other than “any electronic signature used will [...]
HIPAA Compliance for Home Health Care Workers
HIPAA compliance for home health care workers can often be less straightforward than for other types of [...]
HHS Fines Banner Health $1.25M for HIPAA Security Rule Violations
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has announced that the [...]
FTC Announces First Health Breach Notification Rule Enforcement Action
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced its first enforcement action over noncompliance with the [...]
Who Enforces HIPAA Privacy Provisions in Non-Criminal Cases?
In order to best answer the question who enforces HIPAA privacy provisions in non-criminal cases, it is [...]
HIPAA Authorization Form
The Privacy Rule stipulates that a valid HIPAA authorization form must be completed before using or [...]
Does HIPAA Apply to Schools?
In most cases, the question of does HIPAA apply to schools is answered by the definition of a HIPAA Covered [...]
Healthcare Organizations Warned About Use of AI for Developing Malware
Artificial Intelligence tools have been incorporated into many cybersecurity solutions to improve their [...]
Which Entity Enforces HIPAA?
The question of which entity enforces HIPAA has a number of answers depending on which Title of HIPAA is [...]
Georgia Laboratory Fined €16,500 for Non-Compliance with HIPAA Right of Access
The HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has announced that a diagnostic laboratory in Georgia – Life [...]
HIPAA Subpoena for Medical Records: What You Need to Know
A HIPAA subpoena for medical records is an area where there is considerable potential for a HIPAA violation. [...]
What is Considered as PHI Under HIPAA?
What is considered as PHI under HIPAA needs to be explained to all members of a Covered Entity´s or Business [...]
What is the HIPAA “Minimum Necessary” Standard?
The HIPAA “Minimum Necessary” standard is an important provision of HIPAA and one that all employees of [...]
What are the HIPAA Telephone Rules?
Although there are no specific HIPAA telephone rules, Covered Entities and Business Associates are required [...]
What Information can be Shared without Violating HIPAA?
One of the reasons for complaints to HHS´ Office for Civil Rights is a misunderstanding of what information [...]
OCR Announces 42nd Financial Penalty for a HIPAA Right of Access Violation
The Right of Access provision of the HIPAA Privacy Rule permits patients to obtain a copy of their medical [...]
Dental Practice Fined $23,000 for Impermissible Disclosures of PHI on Yelp
HIPAA does not prohibit medical practices from responding to online reviews and feedback on platforms such as [...]
What are examples of Protected Health Information?
One of the key aims of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 is to ensure that [...]
Can you go to jail for a HIPAA violation?
All individuals who work for a HIPAA Covered Entity (health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, or healthcare [...]
What is individually identifiable health information?
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 sets out to ensure the security and privacy [...]
How long does a HIPAA investigation take?
Despite many healthcare organizations’ best efforts, HIPAA violations do occur. These can be made through [...]
Website and Other Tracking Code May Violate HIPAA
In July, the independent journalism site, The Markup, discovered one-third of the top 100 hospitals in the [...]
HHS and SAMHSA Propose Update to Better Align Part 2 Regulations with HIPAA
An update to the 42 CFR Part 2 Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records has been [...]
Why is HIPAA important to patients?
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was introduced in 1996, and since then has seen many [...]
What happens if you violate HIPAA?
All healthcare workers should be aware of HIPAA, and be provided with regular training in HIPAA compliance. [...]
Is Telling a Story about a Patient a HIPAA Violation?
One of the primary purposes of the HIPAA Privacy Rule is to protect patient privacy, but is sharing an [...]
What is the HIPAA Privacy Rule?
The Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (the “HIPAA Privacy Rule”) were [...]
What is the HIPAA Security Rule?
HIPAA is composed of several different “HIPAA Rules”, each governing a different aspect of patient [...]
How can you avoid HIPAA violations?
Given how serious they are, how can you avoid HIPAA violations? Is there any sure-fire method of preventing [...]
What happens after a HIPAA complaint is filed?
All patients have the right to complain to a Covered Entity or Business Associate if they have concerns over [...]
How long do you have to report a HIPAA violation?
If a HIPAA violation has been discovered, it is not only essential that it is reported in a timely manner [...]
Password Managers and HIPAA
Password managers are effective tools to support HIPAA compliance subject to them having the capabilities to [...]
White Paper Outlines Potential Policy Changes to Address Healthcare Cybersecurity
Data breaches are being reported by healthcare organizations at a rate of around two per day when just four [...]
How Password Managers Help Prevent Phishing Attacks
Anyone who is unsure about the scale of the threat from phishing should read the web descriptions of data [...]
OCR Issues Guidance on HITECH Recognized Security Practices
The HHS’ Office for Civil Rights has issued guidance on Recognized Security Practices, how they must be [...]
Is HIPAA a Federal Law?
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was enacted by Congress in 1996, making it a Federal [...]
Aveanna Healthcare Resolves Alleged HIPAA Violations with $425,000 Settlement
Just a few weeks after settling a class action lawsuit over a 2019 data breach that affected 166,077 [...]
What happens if a nurse violates HIPAA?
HIPAA violations are a serious matter and should be avoided at all costs. However, it is important to know [...]
What Does HIPAA Protect?
There are various answers to the question what does HIPAA protect depending on the perspective from which you [...]
Are dentists covered by HIPAA?
In general, dentists are considered “Covered Entities” under HIPAA, so they must meet all of the [...]
Advocate Aurora Health: PHI of up to 3 Million Patients Impermissibly Disclosed
Advocate Aurora Health says code snippets on its websites may have transmitted the protected health [...]
Cyberattack Causing Disruption at Second Largest Non-Profit U.S. Health System
A major cyberattack and IT outage are causing considerable disruption at one of the largest healthcare [...]
Dental Practices Pay Price for HIPAA Right of Access Noncompliance
The HIPAA Right of Access provides individuals with the right to obtain a copy of the medical records held by [...]
Feds Sound Alarm About Threat of Cyberattacks on HPH Sector by Evil Corp Hackers
A warning has been issued to the healthcare and public health (HPH) sector by the U.S. Office of Information [...]
Improper PHI Disposal Leads to $300,000 HIPAA Penalty for Massachusetts Dermatology Practice
The HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has announced its 17th financial penalty of the year to resolve [...]
Meta Pixel Code on Novant Health Website Disclosed Data of 1.3 Million Patients to Meta
Novant Health has notified more than 1.3 million patients that some of their protected health information has [...]
Pharmacies and HIPAA
The connection between pharmacies and HIPAA is that pharmacies may qualify as covered entities if they [...]
The Rules of Dental HIPAA Compliance
The rules of dental HIPAA compliance are no different from the rules governing other HIPAA Covered Entities [...]
ADPPA Updates Allow Progression to House Floor for Vote
In June, the American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA) was introduced. In July, ADPPA updates were [...]
NIST Releases Updates HIPAA Security Rule Compliance Guidance
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released the second revision of its HIPAA [...]
What is HITECH in healthcare?
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act) came into effect [...]
OCR Continues Crackdown on HIPAA Right of Access Violations with 11 More Fines
In late 2019, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights announced a new [...]
Compliance with HIPAA and EHR Policies
Despite the best efforts of many Covered Entities, there appears to be an upward trend in violations of HIPAA [...]
Oklahoma State University Settles HIPAA Investigation and Pays $875,000 Penalty
An investigation conducted by the HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of a hacking incident at Oklahoma [...]
Senators Request HIPAA Privacy Rule Changes to Better Protect Reproductive Health Care Information
Two senators have written to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services asking for changes [...]
North Korean Hackers Using Ransomware to Attack Healthcare Organizations
The healthcare and public health sector have long been attractive targets for cybercriminals due to the value [...]
HIPAA Pictures and Videos. What are the Rules?
It may surprise some people to learn that, in the entire text of HIPAA pictures and videos are only mentioned [...]
Massive Data Breach at Business Associate Affects 657 Healthcare Provider Clients
Cyberattacks on business associates of HIPAA-covered entities have the potential to affect many covered [...]
OCR Clarifies How HIPAA Applies to Reproductive Health Care Information in Response to SCOTUS Decision
The landmark decision of the Supreme Court in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, where the [...]
ADPPA Compliance
The American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA) is a long-awaited, comprehensive, federal privacy law [...]
OCR to Seek Feedback from HIPAA-Regulated Entities on HIPAA Breach Reporting Process
The Government Accountability Office has published the findings of a report that assessed the breach [...]
What is Considered a Breach of HIPAA?
The terms “violation” and “breach” are sometimes conflated in HIPAA-related discussions, and it is [...]
Patient Data Sent to Meta Without Consent by Hospitals via Meta Pixel Tool on Websites
An investigation into the use of the Meta Pixel tool on hospital websites has revealed one-third of the top [...]
Who is subject to HIPAA?
Hopefully, many patients will have at least heard of HIPAA and know of its role in protecting them and [...]
Updated Security Risk Assessment Tool Released by HHS
The HIPAA Security Rule requires HIPAA-regulated entities to conduct a security risk assessment to identify [...]
How to Make a HIPAA Complaint
Despite the Privacy Rule requiring healthcare organizations and health plans to provide information about how [...]
Post-Pandemic Audio-only Telehealth Services and HIPAA Compliance
In March 2020, the HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a Telehealth Notification that included a [...]
Emotet is Back and Poses Significant Threat to the Healthcare Sector
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) has [...]
2 Million-record Data Breach Reported by Massachusetts Medical Imaging Services Provider
A data breach affecting 2 million individuals has been reported to the Department of Health and Human [...]
Ransomware Attacks Increased by 13% in 2021
Ransomware attacks are increasing at an alarming rate. Attacks increased by 13% in 2021, which is a bigger [...]
Hacking Incident at Cloud EHR Vendor Impacts Multiple Eye Care Practices
Eye Care Leaders, a vendor of cloud-based electronic health record and practice management solutions for eye [...]
New Legislation Considered for Improving Medical Device Cybersecurity
A bipartisan bill has been proposed to update the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) to [...]
Cybersecurity Agencies Issue Warning Following Increase in Cyberattacks on MSPs
Cyberattacks on managed service providers are on the rise. If hackers are able to compromise the systems of [...]
What are the Penalties for Non-Compliance with HIPAA?
The penalties for non-compliance with HIPAA vary considerably according to the nature of the non-compliant [...]
What is covered under HIPAA?
Many patients will be aware of HIPAA, and know that it guarantees some protections for their privacy, but [...]
Why is the HITECH Act Important?
The HITECH Act (or Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act) was passed in 2009 as [...]
Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Allow Hackers to Take Control of Hospital Robots
A warning has been issued to hospitals that use the Atheon TUG mobile robots about five vulnerabilities – [...]
Complying with the Requirement for HIPAA Training in a Dental Office
The requirement for HIPAA training in a dental office is the same as the requirement for any other Covered [...]
Public Comment Requested by OCR on Two Outstanding Requirements of the HITECH Act
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (HITECH Act) called for the [...]
Financial Penalties Imposed for HIPAA Right of Access Violations and Impermissible PHI Disclosures
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights recently announced that four [...]
What happens if HIPAA is violated?
What happens if HIPAA is violated? What are the possible consequences for covered entities and their [...]
Who Does HIPAA Apply To?
The answer to the question who does HIPAA apply to is not always as straightforward as it is presented to be. [...]
Texas Dental Clinic Operator Announces Breach Affecting 1 Million Texans
A major data breach has recently been reported by a dental clinic operator in Texas that has affected more [...]
Who can violate HIPAA?
Who can violate HIPAA? Can anyone violate HIPAA? To answer this, it is essential to first know who HIPAA [...]
What are HIPAA identifiers?
The HIPAA identifiers are sometimes confused with definitions of Protected Health Information, so it is [...]
Monongalia Health Data Breach Affects Almost 500,000 Patients
Monongalia Health System in West Virginia (Mon Health) has recently announced it fell victim to a cyberattack [...]
Feds Issue Updated Security Alert About Conti Ransomware
The United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in conjunction with the U.S. [...]
OCR Director Says HIPAA-Regulated Entities Need to Improve Their Security Posture in 2022
Lisa J. Pino, Director of the Department of HEalth and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights [...]
Is Workplace Gossip a HIPAA Violation?
Is workplace gossip a HIPAA violation? The answer can depend on who the subject of the gossip is, what the [...]
Settlements Proposed to Resolve Class Action Lawsuits Against Inmediata and CaptureRx
Settlements have been proposed to resolve class action lawsuits filed against the healthcare clearinghouse [...]
CISA Warns All U.S. Organizations to Raise Their Shields
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued a warning to all organizations in [...]
Legislation Introduced to Start the Process of Modernizing U.S. Health Data Privacy Laws
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is more than 25 years old, and it was more [...]
RIPTA and UnitedHealthcare Investigated Over Breach of 22,000 State Employee Records
On December 21, 2021, the Rhode Island Public Transport Authority (RIPTA), a quasi-public agency, reported a [...]
HIPAA Compliance Software
HIPAA compliance software is a SaaS compliance framework that assists Covered Entities and Business [...]
Excellus Health Plan Settles Class Action Data Breach Lawsuit
Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit filed in response to the data [...]
The Deadline for Reporting Small 2021 Healthcare Data Breaches is Fast Approaching
The Breach Notification Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires [...]
Can I get fired for an accidental HIPAA violation?
You can get fired for an accidental HIPAA violation depending on the nature of the violation, the [...]
Is HIPAA still in effect?
It may have been around for a long time now, but is HIPAA still in effect? In short, yes, HIPAA is still in [...]
COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Extended for Further 90 Days
On January 27, 2020, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, announced a [...]
When should you promote HIPAA Awareness?
When should you promote HIPAA awareness? Shouldn’t employees always be aware of their obligations under [...]
Why is HIPAA important?
Many people will be acquainted with HIPAA, but why is it important? Since it was introduced in 1996, HIPAA [...]
Over 1.3 Million Individuals Affected by Cyberattack and Data Theft Incident at Broward Health
On January 1, 2021, Broward Health announced it was the victim of a cyberattack involving data exfiltration [...]
New Jersey Companies Settle State HIPAA Investigation and Pay $425,000 Penalty
The New Jersey attorney general has been the most active enforcer of compliance with the Health Insurance [...]
Half a Million Records Potentially Stolen in 2 Healthcare Ransomware Attacks
The healthcare industry in the United States continues to be targeted by ransomware gangs. Recently, the [...]
HHS Launches Cybersecurity Web Resource for the Healthcare and Public Health Sector
The Department of Health and Human Services is facing an unprecedented number of cyber threats and more data [...]
5 Healthcare Providers Slapped with Financial Penalties for HIPAA Right of Access Violations
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) launched an enforcement [...]
States Introduce Laws Covering the Collection, Use, and Sharing of Genetic Data
Most healthcare organizations in the United States are required to comply with the Health Insurance [...]
HC3: Cobalt Strike Penetration Testing Tool Increasingly Abused in Attacks on the Healthcare and Public Health Sector
Cybercriminals and Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actors are increasingly using Cobalt Strike in attacks on [...]
New Jersey Agrees $130,000 HIPAA Settlement with Two Printing Companies
Two printing/mailing vendors have agreed to settle an investigation by the state of New Jersey that alleged [...]
EHR Vendor Reports Breach of PHI of Nearly 320,000 Patients
The protected health information of almost 320,000 patients has potentially been compromised in an August [...]
Study Reveals Healthcare Organizations Are Overexposing Sensitive Data
Limiting access to protected health information (PHI) is one of the fundamental requirements of the Health [...]
Maximum 7-Year Sentence for University of Pittsburg Medical Center Hacker
A Michigan man who hacked into the human resources databases of University of Pittsburg Medical Center (UPMC) [...]
$495,000 HIPAA Settlement Reached Between New Jersey and Fertility Clinic
An investigation by the state of New Jersey into a cyberattack on a fertility clinic has uncovered multiple [...]
Ransomware Attack on Massachusetts Fertility Testing Laboratory Affects 350,000 Patients
The Marlborough, MA-based fertility-related medical laboratory ReproSource Fertility Diagnostics has started [...]
What is 45 CFR § 164.530?
In the Code of Federal Regulations, 45 CFR § 164.530 relates to the administrative requirements of the HIPAA [...]
What is 45 CFR § 164.308?
45 CFR § 164.308 is the section of the Code of Federal Regulations that contains the Administrative [...]
Lawsuit: Baby Died as a Consequence of Hospital Ransomware Attack
A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of a mother of a baby who is alleged to have died as a consequence of a [...]
OCR Issues Advice on HIPAA and Vaccination Disclosures
The introduction of vaccine mandates by employers, especially in healthcare, has raised questions about HIPAA [...]
Study Reveals Large Gaps in Healthcare Security Awareness Training
The number of healthcare data breaches being reported by HIPAA regulated entities has reached record levels. [...]
HHS Appoints New Director of the Office for Civil Rights
Lisa J. Pino, Director, Office for Civil Rights The Department of Health and Human Services has announced a [...]
FTC Confirms Health Apps and Wearable Devices Covered by FTC Health Breach Notification Rule
The HIPAA Breach Notification Rule requires HIPAA-regulated entities to report data breaches and issue [...]
Cloud Security Alliance Issues Guidance on Combatting Ransomware in the Healthcare Cloud
New guidance has recently been released by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Health Information Management [...]
OCR Imposes $80,000 Fine on Nebraska Hospital for HIPAA Right of Action Violation
Children’s Hospital & Medical Center (CHMC) has agreed to settle a HIPAA Right of Access [...]
Scripps Health Ransomware Attack Cost Increases to $112.7 Million
The 2021 IBM Security/Ponemon Institute Cost of a Data Breach Study determined the average cost of a data [...]
NIST Publishes Draft Update of Guidance on Developing Cyber-Resilient Systems
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released a draft version of updated guidance to [...]
PHI of 447,000 Patients Potentially Compromised in Phishing Attack
Ransomware gangs have increased attacks on the healthcare industry. Data from Emsisoft show 560 healthcare [...]
Low Cybersecurity Risk Ratings Associated with Higher Risk of a Hospital Data Breach
A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association has explored the link [...]
The Importance of HIPAA Security Rule Information Access Management and Access Control Compliance
The HHS’ Office for Civil Rights has recently reminded HIPAA-covered entities and their business associates [...]
Average Healthcare Data Breach Cost Increases to $9.23 Million
According to the 2021 IBM Security Cost of a Data Breach report, the average cost of a data breach has risen [...]
Data Breach Affects up to 2.4 Million Forefront Dermatology Patients
A major data breach has occurred at Wisconsin-based Forefront Dermatology. The protected health information [...]
California has Updated its Medical Data Breach Notification Regulations and Administrative Penalties
California has updated its data breach reporting requirements for healthcare facilities and has also [...]
€2.6 Million GDPR Violation Penalty Imposed on Italian Food Delivery Company
The Italian Data Protection Authority Garante has announced the food delivery company Foodinho has been fined [...]
Ohio Care Coordinator Accessed Patient Records Without Authorization for Almost 12 Years
Accessing the medical records of patients when there is no legitimate work reason for doing is a violation of [...]
Irish Health Service Executive Ransomware Attack Expected to Cost $600 Million
On May 14, 2021, the Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland suffered a ransomware attack. The attack was [...]
Ransomware Attack on Eye Clinic Network Affects Half a Million Patients
On February 8, 2021, Wolfe Eye Clinic in Iowa suffered a ransomware attack that resulted in widespread [...]
President Biden Urged to Provide More Funding and Support to Improve Healthcare Sector Cybersecurity
The recently enacted American Rescue Plan has made funding available to speed the recovery from the pandemic, [...]
PHI of 3,253,822 Individuals Potentially Stolen and Deleted from 20/20 Hearing Care Network’s AWS Environment
The protected health information (PHI) of 3,253,822 current and former members of the 20/20 Hearing Care [...]
OCR Announces 19th HIPAA Right of Access Settlement
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights has fined an endocrine disorder [...]
Can Employers ask Employees about COVID-19 Vaccinations?
In the United States, mask mandates are starting to be lifted and people who have been fully vaccinated [...]
Multiple HIPAA Security Rule Failures Result in $25,000 HIPAA Fine for Clinical Laboratory
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has announced its 7th HIPAA [...]
UHS Data Breach Lawsuit Proceeds for Plaintiff Whose Surgery was Delayed
It is now common for the victims of healthcare data breaches to take legal action against a healthcare [...]
External Actors Now Cause More Healthcare Data Breaches than Insiders
Verizon has published its 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) which shows the majority of [...]
NIST Seeks Feedback on HIPAA Security Rule Implementation Guidance
In 2008, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released guidance for HIPAA-covered [...]
Montefiore Staff Member Fired for HIPAA Breach; Belden Facing Class Action Suit
Another staff member at New York’s Montefiore Medical Center has been found to have been illegally [...]
HB 300 Training
In 2011, House Bill 300 (HB 300) introduced significant changes to the Texas Health and Safety Code including [...]
HHS Information Blocking Regulations are Now in Effect
It has been a long time coming, but the information blocking regulations of the Office of the National [...]
PHI of Almost 3.5 Million Individuals was Compromised in the Accellion Cyberattack
The number of healthcare organizations known to have been affected by the Accellion cyberattack has been [...]
OCR Announces 18th Settlement Under HIPAA Right of Access Enforcement Initiative
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights has announced its 18th settlement [...]
Massachusetts Hospital Pays $65,000 Penalty to Settle HIPAA Right of Access Case
The HHS’ Office for Civil Rights has fined Arbour Hospital $65,000 for failing to provide a patient with [...]
How Often is HIPAA Training Required?
Every HIPAA-covered entity is required to implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the [...]
Medical Debt Collection Firm Settles Data Breach Case with Coalition of 41 State AGs
In 2019, the largest reported healthcare data breach was at American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA), a debt [...]
Can Employees Who Violate HIPAA Rules Be Terminated?
Employees who violate HIPAA Rules can be terminated if the nature of the violation and its consequences are [...]
How Often Do You Need HIPAA Training?
How Often Do You Need HIPAA Training? Considering the importance of HIPAA compliance and the potential [...]
Comment Period on Proposed HIPAA Privacy Rule Changes Extended Until May 6, 2021
On December 10, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking [...]
Small and Medium Sized Healthcare Organizations Targeted by Ransomware Gangs
Ransomware gangs stepped up their attacks on healthcare organizations in 2020 with some ransomware operations [...]
Four Areas of HIPAA That Are Important to Patients
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 or HIPAA was signed into law by Pres. Bill [...]
What is the Proper Response to an Accidental HIPAA Violation?
The HIPAA compliance rules must be followed by HIPAA covered entities, business associates and all healthcare [...]
Georgia Man Jailed for Attempting to Frame Nurse for Fake HIPAA Violations
This month, a U.S District Court judge for the Southern District of Georgia has sentenced a man for making [...]
HHS Announces Limited Waiver of HIPAA Fines and Sanctions in in Texas Due to Winter Storm
Norris Cochran, the Acting Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, has declared a public [...]
Reporting an Anonymous HIPAA Violation Complaint
Although it is illegal for a Covered Entity to intimidate, threaten, coerce, discriminate, or retaliate [...]
OCR Announces $70,000 Settlement with Sharpe Healthcare to Resolve HIPAA Right of Access Case
Sharpe Healthcare has agreed to settle a HIPAA violation case with the Department of Health and Human [...]
Florida Health Insurer Discovers Breach of the PHI of 3.5 Million Individuals
One of the largest ever healthcare data breaches has recently been reported by the Florida-based health [...]
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