January 29, 2013. Today, we cover the four risk assessment factors pertaining to breach notification in the Modifications to the HIPAA Privacy, Security, Enforcement, and Breach Notification Rules under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act [HITECH Act] and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act; Other Modifications to the HIPAA Rules: Final Rule that was published in the Federal Register on Friday, January 25, 2013. As discussed in yesterday’s post, these risk assessment factors are used in assessing the probability of impermissible use or disclosure compromising protected health information, thereby requiring breach notification. This “probability standard” replaces the “harm standard,” becomes effective March 26, 2013, and requires compliance…
Tag: indecipherable
Final Rule: Modified Definition of Breach
January 28, 2013. Today, we want to explore the modified definition of breach in the Final HIPAA/HITECH Act Privacy, Security, Breach Notification, and Enforcement Rule published in the Federal Register on Friday, January 25, 2013. Here is the modified definition [45 CFR 164.402, Definitions, effective March 26, 2013; 78 Federal Register 5695]: Breach means the acquisition, access, use, or disclosure of protected health information in a manner not permitted under subpart E [HIPAA Privacy Rule] of this part [Part 164] which compromises the security or privacy of the protected health information. (1) Breach excludes: (i) Any unintentional acquisition, access, or use of protected health information by a workforce member or…
Nearly 8.3 Million Individuals Impacted by 249 Privacy and Security Breaches Reported by HHS; More Training on Safeguarding PHI Required
Under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act), enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, covered entities are required to report to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) any privacy or security breach affecting 500 or more individuals within 60 days of discovery of the breach by the covered entity or its business associate. The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which is responsible for privacy and security enforcement under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and HITECH Act provisions that strengthened privacy and security enforcement, is required to post those breaches…
Three Key Properties of HIPAA Privacy and Security of Protected Health Information
HIPAA.com has received from its readers requests for information on topics related to HIPAA Administrative Simplification Privacy and Security Rules and to updates to those rules reflected in the HITECH Act provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009. Recently, HIPAA.com answered the question of particular interest to several readers: what exactly is protected health information (PHI)? In this posting, we answer the question: what are the fundamental properties that underlie privacy and security of protected health information? Three Key Properties The three key properties that underpin privacy and security under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) are availability,…
HHS Issues Interim Final Rule for HITECH ‘Breach Notification’
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, has issued the Interim Final Rule for Breach Notification for Unsecured Protected Health Information. The Interim Final Rule was signed by Secretary Sebelius on August 6, 2009, filed at the Federal Register on Wednesday, August 19, 2009, and will be published on Monday, August 24, 2009, in the Federal Register. The effective date of the Interim Final Rule will be 30 days after publication, and will cover both covered entities and business associates of covered entities. Here is the Summary of the Interim Final Rule: “The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is issuing this interim final rule with…