HIPAA Compliance Insights

Sunshine Act

Sunshine Act and HIPAA: What Covered Entities Must Know

In 2023, CMS published over 12.9 billion dollars in physician payment data through the Open Payments database — the public-facing arm of the Sunshine Act.

Carl B. Johnson · Feb 27, 2020

Telemedicine

Telemedicine and HIPAA Compliance: What Providers Must Know

When OCR announced in late 2023 that the COVID-era telehealth enforcement discretion would not last forever, many healthcare organizations realized they had been operating telemedicine

Carl B. Johnson · Jan 26, 2020

Texting and HIPAA

Texting and HIPAA Compliance: What Your Organization Must Know

In 2023, a dermatology practice in Connecticut paid $150,000 to settle an OCR investigation that traced back, in part, to unsecured electronic communications — including

Carl B. Johnson · Jan 26, 2020

HIPAA Compliant Texting

Texting HIPAA Compliant: What Your Organization Must Know

In 2023, a dental practice in Texas paid a $50,000 settlement to OCR after a staff member texted appointment reminders containing diagnostic codes to

Carl B. Johnson · Jan 26, 2020

Texting Patient Information

Texting Patient Information HIPAA Rules You Must Follow

In December 2023, a small dental practice in Texas agreed to a $50,000 settlement with OCR after an investigation revealed staff members had been

Carl B. Johnson · Jan 26, 2020

HIPAA Privacy Rule

What Are HIPAA Privacy Rules? A Practical Guide

In February 2024, OCR settled with a Louisiana medical group for $480,000 after the office failed to provide a patient timely access to her

Carl B. Johnson · Jan 21, 2020

Protected Health Information

What Info Is Protected by HIPAA: A Practical Guide

In 2023, OCR settled with a dental practice in New England for $23,000 after an investigation revealed the organization had disclosed patient appointment information

Carl B. Johnson · Jan 21, 2020

Business Associate Agreement

What Is a BAA for HIPAA? Your Complete Guide

In June 2023, OCR settled with a dental practice management company for $350,000 after discovering the organization had failed to execute proper agreements with

Carl B. Johnson · Jan 21, 2020

HIPAA Authorization

What Is a HIPAA Authorization Form and When It's Required

In 2023, a specialty medical practice in the Southeast received an OCR corrective action after routinely disclosing patient records to a life insurance company without

Carl B. Johnson · Jan 21, 2020

Protected Health Information

What Is HIPAA Protected Health Information (PHI)?

In 2023, OCR settled with a dental practice for $350,000 after the organization disclosed patient records to a third-party marketing firm without authorization — largely

Carl B. Johnson · Jan 21, 2020

HIPAA Authorization

What Is HIPAA Authorization? A Compliance Guide

In 2023, a specialty clinic in the Southeast agreed to a six-figure settlement with OCR after routinely disclosing patient records to a marketing firm — without

Carl B. Johnson · Jan 21, 2020

HIPAA Training

What Is HIPPA Training? The Correct Term and What It Requires

Every week, I see healthcare professionals searching for what is HIPPA training — and the first thing to address is the spelling. The law is actually

Carl B. Johnson · Jan 16, 2020