HIPAA Compliance Insights

HIPAA Need to Know

HIPAA Need to Know: The Minimum Necessary Standard

In 2023, OCR settled with a health system for $1.3 million after an investigation revealed that employees across multiple departments had unrestricted access to

Carl B. Johnson · Jan 4, 2022

HIPAA Omnibus Rule

HIPAA Omnibus Rule of 2013: What Still Applies Today

When OCR announced a $4.8 million settlement with New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University in 2014, it was one of the first major enforcement

Carl B. Johnson · Dec 31, 2021

HIPAA Paper Records

HIPAA Paper Records: Safeguards You Can't Ignore

In 2018, OCR settled with Filefax Inc. for $100,000 after the company left medical records — paper records containing protected health information — sitting in an

Carl B. Johnson · Dec 31, 2021

HIPAA Paperwork

HIPAA Paperwork: What Your Organization Actually Needs

When OCR investigators arrive at a covered entity's door — whether triggered by a patient complaint or a reported breach — the first thing they

Carl B. Johnson · Dec 4, 2021

HIPAA Patient Form

HIPAA Patient Form: What Your Practice Must Include

In January 2024, OCR settled with a dental practice in New England for $50,000 after investigators discovered the organization had been using a HIPAA

Carl B. Johnson · Dec 4, 2021

HIPAA Policy for Employees

HIPAA Policy for Employees: What Your Workforce Needs

In 2023, OCR settled with a covered entity for $40,000 after a former employee accessed patient records without authorization — months after leaving the organization.

Carl B. Johnson · Dec 4, 2021

HIPAA Policy

HIPAA Policy Sample: What Your Organization Actually Needs

When OCR investigated Anthem Inc. and imposed a record $16 million settlement in 2018, the enforcement action didn't just cite a data breach.

Carl B. Johnson · Dec 4, 2021

HIPAA Policy Templates

HIPAA Policy Templates Free: Why Free Isn't Compliant

In 2023, a small specialty clinic in the Southeast received a corrective action plan from OCR after a breach investigation revealed that their "policies

Carl B. Johnson · Dec 4, 2021

HIPAA Practice Exam

HIPAA Practice Exam: Test Your Compliance Knowledge

In 2023, OCR settled with a dental practice for $350,000 after an investigation revealed that not a single member of their workforce could correctly

Carl B. Johnson · Dec 4, 2021

HIPAA Privacy Certification

HIPAA Privacy Certification: What Your Workforce Needs

In February 2024, OCR settled with a New England dermatology practice for $300,000 after an investigation revealed that workforce members had never completed documented

Carl B. Johnson · Dec 4, 2021

HIPAA Privacy Policies

HIPAA Privacy Policies: What Your Organization Must Include

In 2023, OCR settled with a dental practice in New England for $350,000 after investigators discovered the organization had no written policies governing the

Carl B. Johnson · Dec 4, 2021

HIPAA Professional

HIPAA Professional: What It Takes to Lead Compliance

In 2023, OCR settled with a Florida-based health system for $1.2 million after investigators found that the organization lacked a qualified individual overseeing its

Carl B. Johnson · Dec 4, 2021