HIPAA Privacy Rule

Communicating With a Patient’s Family Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule

October 11, 2023 - When disclosing protected health information (PHI) to a provider at a HIPAA-covered entity, patients likely want to ensure that their information is not being shared with everyone in the hospital waiting room. But they may want to keep their loved ones updated on their condition, even if they are unable to do so themselves. That’s where providers come in, assuming their duty to...


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OCR Reaches $1.3M Settlement With LA Care Over Potential HIPAA Violations

by Jill McKeon

LA Care, a Los Angeles-based health plan, agreed to a $1.3 million settlement and corrective action plan (CAP) to resolve potential HIPAA violations uncovered during two HHS Office for Civil Rights...

24 Attorneys General Express Support For Bolstering Reproductive Care HIPAA Protections

by Jill McKeon

The Biden Administration recently proposed amendments to HIPAA that aim to protect patients and providers from prosecution in relation to the provision of reproductive healthcare. In response to the...

HHS Proposes Rule to Strengthen HIPAA Protections For Reproductive Healthcare Data

by Jill McKeon

The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) with the goal of strengthening HIPAA Privacy Rule protections for those seeking and delivering reproductive...

Senators Introduce Bill to Bolster HIPAA Protections For Patients Seeking Reproductive Healthcare

by Jill McKeon

US Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) introduced the Secure Access for Essential Reproductive (SAFER) Health Act, which offers strengthened HIPAA protections that would prohibit...

Breach Reporting Requirements Are Top Concern For Security Teams

by Sarai Rodriguez

Cybersecurity leaders are buckling up for rising costs, a challenging talent shortage, and uncertain data breach reporting requirements going into 2023, according to a Deepwatch Q4 2022 SecOps...

Top 3 HIPAA Compliance Challenges of This Year

by Jill McKeon

In the years since HIPAA was first enacted in 1996, technological and societal developments have left covered entities with no shortage of compliance challenges. This year was no exception. “This has been quite the year for those...

Exploring the HIPAA Privacy Rule’s Right of Access Provisions

by Jill McKeon

The HIPAA Privacy Rule’s right of access provisions ensure that patients can obtain access to their protected health information (PHI). Failure to do so may result in hefty monetary penalties and mandated corrective action...

Senators Once Again Ask HHS to Update HIPAA, Citing Patient Privacy Concerns

by Jill McKeon

Spearheaded by US Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a group of 30 Senators urged HHS and the Biden Administration to strengthen HIPAA protections in order to further safeguard patient privacy in the wake of...

OCR Settles Improper PHI Disposal Case, Resolves Potential HIPAA Violation

by Jill McKeon

The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) settled a case with New England Dermatology and Laser Center (NEDLC) to resolve a potential HIPAA violation involving improper protected health information (PHI)...

Abortion Restrictions Clash With HIPAA, Patient Privacy Protections

by Jill McKeon

HIPAA clashes with patient privacy and health data protections relating to newly imposed abortion restrictions in several major ways, experts suggested in a recent JAMA Health Forum article. The...

Senators Ask HHS to Update HIPAA Privacy Rule, Defend Reproductive Rights

by Jill McKeon

US Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) asked HHS to consider updating the HIPAA Privacy Rule to better defend reproductive rights in a recent letter. The Supreme...

OCR Issues Patient Privacy, HIPAA Privacy Rule Guidance After Roe v. Wade Ruling

by Jill McKeon

The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued guidance on patient privacy and rights under the HIPAA Privacy Rule that can help patients maintain security and privacy in light of the recent Roe v. Wade...

What is the HIPAA Privacy Rule?

by Jill McKeon

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) established national standards for the security and privacy of protected health information (PHI). HHS issued the HIPAA Privacy Rule and the HIPAA Security Rule to...

OCR Issues HIPAA Guidance Surrounding Extreme Risk Protection Orders

by Jill McKeon

HHS’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released new guidance to clarify how HIPAA permits covered healthcare providers to disclose protected health information (PHI) without a patient’s...

De-Identification of PHI According to the HIPAA Privacy Rule

by Jill McKeon

De-identification of protected health information (PHI) can help researchers glean valuable insights about population health, aid in healthcare policymaking, and bolster other research ventures. Once PHI is de-identified and can no longer...

Guardian Patient Portal Access Impacts Adolescent Patient Privacy

by Jill McKeon

Over 64 percent of parents or guardians have accessed their child’s patient portal and viewed outbound messages at least once, showing a need to address adolescent patient privacy and...

Key Differences Between PHI and PII, How They Impact HIPAA Compliance

by Jill McKeon

Personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) may seem similar on the surface, but key distinctions set them apart. While PII is a catch-all term for any information...

OCR Settles 20th HIPAA Right of Access Case With Nebraska Hospital

by Jill McKeon

The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) settled its twentieth case under the HIPAA Right of Access Initiative, marked by an $80,000 civil monetary penalty paid by Nebraska-based Children’s Hospital...