On January 21, 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) published proposed rules that would significantly modify existing regulations concerning the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”). The... Read More
The Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) continues to bring enforcement actions against entities it alleges have infringed on a patient’s right to timely access their records in violation of the Health... Read More
On January 15, 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) announced that Excellus Health Plan, Inc. has agreed to pay $5.1 million and to implement a corrective action plan to settle potential violations of... Read More
The Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) announced today that the City of New Haven, Connecticut (“City”), which operates a public health clinic, has agreed to pay $202,400 and enter a corrective action plan to settle allegations of a potential... Read More
On Wednesday, October 28, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (“CISA”) and the FBI announced an “increased and imminent cybercrime threat to U.S. hospitals and healthcare providers.” Preliminary news reports have identified... Read More
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that Aetna Life Insurance Company and its affiliated covered entity (Aetna) has agreed to pay $1,000,000.00 to the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to settle potential... Read More
On March 17, 2015, Premera Blue Cross (“PBC”), the largest health plan in the Pacific Northwest, filed a breach report with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) indicating that... Read More
Rights of Access Initiative Last year, the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) announced its Right of Access Initiative in order to improve enforcement of the right of access requirement under the Federal... Read More
In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, healthcare providers are searching for ways to monitor and treat patients while limiting exposure to the infection and minimizing its spread to the most vulnerable populations. One way that healthcare providers... Read More
The Office of Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ("OCR") recently published guidance on permissible disclosures of protected health information ("PHI") for individuals who have been infected or exposed to... Read More
