Advanced Search

Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

HIPAA ENFORCEMENT:

Update Patients on Privacy and Security Breaches.

Published on Sun Sep 06, 2009

Interim final rule outlines your responsibility for protecting patients' data. You know that you must keep your patients' protected health information safe from prying eyes, but that obligation just increased. New: If a privacy or security breach affects more than 500 patients, you must alert those patients, the Department of Health and Human Services' secretary, and the media, according to a new interim final rule published by HHS in the Aug. 24 Federal Register. The interim rule also demands that your business associates let you know immediately when a privacy or security breach occurs on their end. However, if a breach affects fewer than 500 patients, you only must report it to the HHS secretary on an annual basis. Reasoning: The new rule will ensure that "covered entities and business associates are accountable to the Department and to individuals for proper safeguarding of the private information entrusted to their care," [...]
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in your eNewsletter
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs*
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more
*CEUs available with select eNewsletters.

Other Articles in this issue of

Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

View All