What is HIPAA?

Originally passed by Congress in 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulates the use and disclosure of personal health information. It covers virtually all health care organizations, including physicians, clinics, hospitals, and insurance companies.


Under HIPAA, organizations must implement security and privacy safeguards to protect personal health information. These safeguards include administrative, technical, and physical measures to prevent unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of PHI. There are four types of penalties for HIPAA violations: Tier 1 penalties (up to $50,000), Tier 2 penalties (up to $100,000), Tier 3 penalties (up to $150,000), and Tier 4 penalties (up to $1 million).

These penalties are imposed by the US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. A data breach is an obvious violation, but there are more subtle forms of non-compliance. Other examples include transmitting unencrypted ePHI, accessing PHI from an unsecure location, or transferring PHI without proper authorization.

The HIPAA Omnibus Rule, which came into effect in 2013, made a number of changes to the rules. This rule extended HIPAA protections to business associates of covered entities, including health care clearinghouses, health plans, and health care providers. It also added new provisions to HHS enforcement powers.

HIPAA requires organizations to conduct risk assessments and implement minimum controls to protect PHI. It also requires organizations to develop a plan to respond to a data breach. It also requires organizations to obtain consent from patients before using their personal health information.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Get the Best Out of Offline Mailing Campaigns

Image
Getting the most out of your offline mail campaign isn't all about the numbers. It's also about integrating these campaigns with your online marketing strategy. Using both to their best advantage will help you improve your ROI . The old standby of getting a personal touch with your staff can only improve your company's overall customer experience. You can also make your delivery bikes stand out by painting them. Incorporating your staff into your marketing efforts can also boost your bottom line. Using a free, value added content piece to capture contact information is a great way to do it. You can also use contests to drum up interest in your business. The best companies make the most of their human resources by allowing them to grow with the company. Using a custom phone number can be a good way to track your offline marketing efforts. You can even use a service like Ruler Analytics to track your calls, send them to your CRM, and attribute sales to the effort. The ad, th
Read more

HIPAA Compliant Methods for Sending Medical Records by Mail

Image
Using HIPAA compliant methods to send medical records is an important consideration. Taking the time to understand these guidelines will help you serve your patients better. First, you should consider what type of mail you're going to use. Certified mail is a great way to ensure your records get to their intended destination. It can be added to your First Class mail, which is often the best option for mailing your medical records. When mailing your records, it's important to make sure they are delivered in the same condition they were sent in. You don't want to accidentally damage them or lose them. Also, you don't want your data to get stolen. Another thing to remember is that you should make sure your medical records are legible. Make sure the envelope you're mailing them in is clear and legible. Using thick, sturdy envelopes will help to keep your patient's personal information safe. If you're mailing large files, email may not be the best option. You ma
Read more

How to Use Healthcare Direct Mail Marketing to Boost Your Practice's Success

Image
Using healthcare direct mail marketing is an excellent way to connect with patients and boost the success of your practice. However, there are several factors to consider before jumping into an effective campaign. Aside from the cost and time involved, you should also consider the type of messaging and design that will work best for your audience. The right type of mail at the right time can have a big impact on the results of your campaign. The use of images and compelling texts can be a great way to persuade recipients to open your mail. Healthcare marketing can include a variety of different formats, such as postcards, flyers, and other forms of mail. These items are a great way to communicate with patients, especially if they're targeted at specific demographics or seasons. Some of these items can even include patient reviews, which can help boost appointment rates and lead to a higher percentage of patient referrals. Healthcare direct mail marketing is an effective way to stim
Read more