HIPAA Compliance
Who Must Comply to HIPAA: Every Entity Explained
A mental health counselor in private practice once told me she didn't need to worry about HIPAA because she wasn't a
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OCR Enforcement
Office for Civil Rights HIPAA enforcement actions, investigations, and compliance strategies
HIPAA History
How Long Has HIPAA Been Around? A 30-Year History
In August 1996, President Bill Clinton signed a law that most people in healthcare couldn't even pronounce correctly. Thirty years later, that same
PHI Disclosure
PHI To Third Parties: What HIPAA Actually Allows
A hospital employee in Texas forwarded a patient's lab results to a family member who called and asked nicely. No written authorization. No
HIPAA Fines
Fines for Violation of HIPAA: What They Cost in 2026
In February 2023, Banner Health agreed to pay $1.25 million to the Office for Civil Rights after a breach exposed the ePHI of nearly
American Health Training HIPAA
American Health Training HIPAA: What Actually Works
A 22-employee cardiology practice in Tennessee paid $2.3 million to settle HIPAA violations in 2020 — and the root cause wasn't a sophisticated
Certification for HIPAA
Certification for HIPAA: What Actually Matters in 2026
Here's something that surprises most people in healthcare: HHS does not issue or endorse any official certification for HIPAA. There's no
Covered Entity
A Covered Entity Is: Who HIPAA Actually Applies To
Last year I got a call from the owner of a medical billing company in Ohio. She'd just received a letter from the
HIPAA Compliant Texting
Text Messaging HIPAA Compliant: What You Must Know
The Text That Cost a Practice Everything A physician texted a colleague a photo of a patient's wound for a quick consult. Standard
HIPAA Compliance Plans
HIPAA Compliance Plans: Build One That Actually Works
A pediatric clinic in Idaho had a binder on the shelf labeled "HIPAA Compliance Plan." It was printed in 2017, never updated, and
HIPAA Compliant Checklist
HIPAA Compliant Checklist: What You Actually Need in 2026
The Spreadsheet That Cost a Health System $5.1 Million In 2017, Memorial Healthcare System paid $5.1 million to HHS after employees accessed the
HIPAA Permissions
How Many HIPAA Defined Permissions Exist? A Clear Answer
A hospital administrator once told me she thought there were only three reasons you could share patient data: treatment, payment, and "when the lawyers
Types of PHI
Types of PHI: What Counts as Protected Health Info
A Receptionist, a Fax Machine, and a $1.5 Million Mistake I once worked with a specialty clinic where a front-desk employee faxed a patient&