Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

HIPAA audits have begun

By: Correy Stephenson
Published: December 15, 2011

Tags: audits, Department of Health and Human Services, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HHS, HIPAA, HITECH Act, Office for Civil Rights, privacy, security

All entities covered under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act must get ready – audits of privacy and security compliance under the Act have officially begun.

Federal law preempts ‘little HIPAA’ claims

Published: October 20, 2011

Tags: health insurance, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HIPAA, preemption

Federal law preempts claims brought under a state “little HIPAA” law prohibiting health insurers from charging different premiums to similarly situated individuals, the 9th Circuit has ruled.

HIPAA audits to begin soon

By: Correy Stephenson
Published: July 25, 2011

Tags: audits, Department of Health and Human Services, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HHS, HIPAA, HITECH Act, privacy

The Department of Health and Human Services has contracted with two different parties to conduct audits of entities covered by the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Plaintiffs can’t sue for negligent disclosure

By: Pat Murphy
Published: February 9, 2011

Tags: consumer protection, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, negligence

Former public school employees could not bring a common law action for the negligent disclosure of their personal information, an Illinois appellate court has ruled in affirming a dismissal.

Med-mal plaintiff’s doctors may be interviewed

By: Pat Murphy
Published: July 22, 2010

Tags: ex parte interview, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, medical malpractice

Federal patient privacy law permits ex parte interviews by defense counsel of a medical malpractice plaintiff’s treating physicians, the Michigan Supreme Court has ruled.

New HIPAA rules create lots of health care contract work

By: Sylvia Hsieh
Published: July 15, 2010

Tags: business associates, data breach, Department of Health and Human Services, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HHS, HIPAA, HITECH Act, Office of Civil Rights, privacy

Lawyers can expect to be busy in the coming year reviewing and revising contracts of health care entities and related businesses in light of new proposed HIPAA rules.

The rules spell out the new HIPAA obligations that Congress included in the HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health) Act, which passed in February 2009.