Category Archives: HIPAA

17 Apr

HHS reaches $100,000 settlement with Phoenix Cardiac Surgery for Lack of HIPAA Safeguards

Phoenix Cardiac Surgery, P.C., of Phoenix and Prescott, Arizona, has agreed to pay the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) a $100,000 settlement and take corrective action to implement policies and procedures to safeguard the protected health information of its patients. The settlement with the physician practice follows an extensive investigation by the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) for potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules. For assistance developing a HIPAA compliance program or responding to a HIPAA breach, contact Rafael A. Gaitan, Esq. Mr. Gaitan has over 15 years experience in the health care industry and regularly counsels physician practices on regulatory matters including HIPAA and the HITECH rules.

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22 Dec

Revised HIPAA: Who is a “Business Associate”? What Each Business Associate Must Know?

For the purposes of HIPAA, any person or business providing particular services to a covered entity involving “protected health information” (PHI) is known as a “business associate”; in fact anyone who would have occasion to encounter PHI in the course of their work for a HIPAA-covered entity—is a “business associate” and is not only under the same duty as the covered entity to comport itself by the dictates of HIPAA, but must also have a Business Associate Agreement (BAA). At Gaitan Morales, we regularly counsel health care entities and their subcontractors on such regulatory issues as HIPAA, the HITECH rule, the Red Flag rules and numerous other laws and regulations that govern the health care industry. To protect your medical practice or associated health care business from a regulatory mishap, call Rafael A. Gaitan, Esq. today at 305.329.1462, to schedule a free initial consultation and learn more about how the law firm of Gaitan Morales can help you.

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