The 2013 HIPAA Amendments directly apply to healthcare providers, plans and clearinghouses as “covered entities,” as well as their subcontractors and vendors as “business associates” (including their downstream subcontractors and agents). However, it is not just covered entities and business associates that need to understand the 2013 Amendments. Advertisers, data aggregators, market researchers and others that want access to PHI, even data that appear to be de-identified, will be impacted.
What the New HIPAA Rules Say About Health Information Technology for Users, Developers and Investors
HIPAA-covered entities and many of their vendors—among them are HIO and EHR consultants, data analytic firms, data transmission facilitators, software vendors and device vendors—rely on health information technology (HIT) to accomplish their purposes. Large data companies, small entrepreneurs and investors are participating in the growth of HIT.
New HIPAA Rules Regarding Genetic Information Affect Employers, Group Health Plans, Health Insurers and Healthcare Providers
Because HIPAA includes employer-sponsored group health plans under the definition of insurers, employers that sponsor plans are also affected by the GINA amendments to the HIPAA Privacy Rule (“the GINA amendments”). In addition, the GINA amendments will have applicability beyond the insurance industry because they draw distinctions between permissible and impermissible uses of “genetic information” in connection with the diagnosis of a medical condition. Click here to read more about how the new HIPAA rules regarding genetic information affect employers, group health plans, health insurers and healthcare providers.
Duane Morris Partner Susan Kayser Is Quoted in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & Assisted Living Article
Duane Morris partner Susan Kayser is quoted in the McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & Assisted Living article, “Falsified Records Mean Legal Woes for Adminstrator, Aide,” in which she discusses the alteration of records in a long-term care setting, in light of two recent cases that landed a nursing home administrator and a nurse aide in legal hot water.
Click here to read the article and Susan’s comments on this long-term care and assisted living issue.
Some Thoughts on HIPAA
A few thoughts on HIPAA
Real case scenario. A health care provider’s car gets broken into and private health information (“PHI”) is stolen, along with other items. Next steps? Once the provider determines that a breach of unsecured PHI has occurred (an incidental disclosure of PHI does not constitute a breach), the provider should perform a risk assessment to determine whether the event poses a significant risk of financial, reputational or other harm to the patient.