H I P A A lert
Volume 7, Number 4 –
June 15, 2006
From Phoenix Health Systems
Health Information Management, Outsourcing & Consulting Services |
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HIPAAnews | HIPAAregs | HIPAAction | HIPAAtech | HIPAAwares
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HIPAAlert is published bi-monthly in support of the healthcare industry's efforts to work together towards HIPAA security and privacy. Subscribers total over 17,000.
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T H I S I S S U E
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*** VA Secretary Wants HIPAA-Like Penalties for Mishandling Personal Data ***
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, R. James Nicholson, last week called for tougher penalties on federal employees who mishandle sensitive information. Nicholson recommended that the House Government Reform Committee look at HIPAA as a model. "I think we should consider putting the same kind of teeth into an enforcement mechanism for the compromising and the careless and negligent handling of personal information," he said.
Read more.
*** House Subcommittee Advances Amended Healthcare IT Bill ***
Last week, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health approved a bill (HR 4157) to promote the use of healthcare IT. The legislation, sponsored by Reps. Nancy Johnson (R-CT) and Nathan Deal (R-GA), establishes a three-year timeline for HHS' Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT to assess and endorse interoperability guidelines. In addition, like an IT bill before the Senate, it protects state information privacy laws that are more stringent than HIPAA. The bill does not establish a deadline for providers to convert to ICD-10 billing codes nor provide money for providers to adopt new technology.
Read more.
*** Medical Privacy Law Nets No Fines ***
Over the past three years, the Department of Health and Human Services has received thousands of complaints alleging HIPAA violations, but has not imposed a single civil fine and has prosecuted just two criminal cases. Of the 19,420 grievances lodged so far, more than 14,000 -- more than 73 percent of the cases -- have been "closed" by the government. Privacy advocates say the lack of civil fines has sent a clear message that health organizations have little to fear if they violate HIPAA.
Read more.
*** 22 States Join National Health Information Privacy & Security Collaboration ***
Twenty-two states had signed agreements as of May 23 to join a national collaborative effort to address the privacy, security, and exchange of health information between states and US territories. Twelve additional states and US territories were expected to join the effort. The privacy and security project is a component of the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) strategy to identify variations in privacy and security practices and laws affecting electronic clinical health information exchange, develop best practices and propose solutions to address identified challenges, and increase expertise about health information privacy and security protection in communities.
Read more.
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